Still Worried

Yesterday we got the details on the soldier that died on Monday.  It was a stupied IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that hit the vehicle he was driving in.  Four other soldiers were wounded as well.  We basically get all of our information on Facebook, which seems weird at times but it's a good way to get information to a heck of a lot of people in one fell swoop. 

I don't know any of the soldiers in Gunnar's unit, except for two that I met at their training graduation.  Nearly the entire unit (which is the 2-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, by the way) all deployed last August.  My husband was still in training at the time, and a few of the 2-508 troops had babies coming in the fall so they stayed behind, got to meet their babies, then they, Gunnar, and his training buddies deployed.  So any stories I hear of these soldiers wounded or killed or anything like that, I don't have a face to go with the name.  I barely know any of their wives either.  The soldier that died on Monday however, was the husband of the Charlie Co FRG (Family Readiness Group).  I didn't know her well, but had met her at the 2-508 Christmas party a few months ago.  They have a 13 year old son.  A 13 year old son.  I can't imagine what they're going through right now.  I can't imagine how, at 13, he's going to get through this okay.  His dad was on his third deployment to the Middle East.  It sounds cliche to say that he gave the ultimate sacrifice, but he did.  And so did his family. 

I haven't heard anything about the 4 other wounded soldiers, or their status.  I hope nothing is life-threatening, or limb-threatening.  I hope everyone else gets to come home alive and well.  I hope the Taliban gets a life or the US decides to leave them alone.  I hope no one else has to die for this.  I hope Gunnar calls today and tells me everything is going to be ok.  How incredibly selfish and petty does that sound now?  Very.  I'm not going to stop worrying till Gunnar and the rest of 2-508 are home where they belong.