Afghan war's deadliest month takes heavy toll at Fort Lewis

While we grieve for the loss of life we must never forget that the men and women they served with have just lost a part of their family as well. The memories of the fallen will never leave them. Not the memories of their smiles and time shared together, good times as well as bad ones. Not the memories of how they died and that they are no longer there. These "are the times that try man's soul" and they should be afforded every opportunity to grieve the loss that time and events will allow.

The most troubling thing to think about is that while there is a shortage of military chaplains for them to talk to, there are some chaplains without full knowledge of what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is. There are too few mental health workers for the soldiers to talk to and without the chaplains knowing what is going on, it makes it all the more harder to heal. We then end up counting the dead but forget the living and how much this touches their lives. If we think for a second we have seen the worst numbers of PTSD veterans, we are not even close to what is to come.

Afghan war's deadliest month takes heavy toll at Fort Lewis
This month has been the deadliest for U.S. troops since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, and Fort Lewis has been hit particularly hard, with 10 soldiers killed.

By Nick Perry

Seattle Times staff reporter

A Renton man, who did not wish to be identified, carries an American flag at half staff over the Freedom Bridge, which crosses Interstate 5 to Fort Lewis.
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Fort Lewis soldier Sgt. Leslie Hill said he's attended two memorial services in recent weeks and plans to be at another Tuesday as he and others on the post come to terms with losing 26 soldiers in Afghanistan in less than three months.

"I just lost one of my buddies," Hill said. "It's been rough on everyone."

This month has been the deadliest for U.S. troops since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001. Fort Lewis has been hit particularly hard. The post held a private candlelight vigil Thursday night for the families, friends and battalion members of the eight Fort Lewis soldiers killed Tuesday.

Seven were killed when enemy forces in the Arghandab Valley attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers, whose names were released by the Department of Defense on Thursday, came from across the country and were 22 to 29 years old.
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