ATLANTA — As thousands of soldiers prepare to deploy to the Middle East, their families also have to be ready for their loved-ones to leave.
The sudden departure follows a United States airstrike that killed an Iranian leader. Former Army Colonel Charles Hodges said he was in the military for 30 years and he understands what these families are going through.
"That's what we’re trained and prepared to do," he said. "So, deployments are part of the job."
Even then, he said it doesn’t get easier for families or servicemembers. But, he feels the Army is always prepared for this, helping families understand exactly how these deployments go.
And Fort Bragg itself, he said, is ready to go.
"Fort Bragg and the 82nd Airborne and the 18th Airborne Corps prepared for this. They’ve trained for this. It’s part of their culture that they sort of embrace there," Hodges said.
Across the country, Saturday, and even in Atlanta, there were organized anti-war protests. At Little 5 Points, about 200 people showed up.
"It's very evident to people that we don’t need to be getting into other country’s affairs in the way that a random drone strike would seem to," said Monica Johnson.
Hodges said bringing attention to these events and these deployments are important so we, as a nation, will be aware of what’s going on.
"This is a reminder that every single day we have thousands of young men and women who are deployed, across not only Iraq but across this nation, in support of our nation," he said. "And so it's always important for us to take time and reflect."
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