President Obama attends return of fallen troops from Afghanistan

As sad as it is to lose so many on one day, we must think of the families. We must also acknowledge that the men and women these service members served with will grieve as well.

It's so easy to pray for them when we send them, that God watches over them. The risk is obvious to all of us. It is easy to pray for them when they are risking their lives facing dangers all day, every day. We say a prayer of thanks when they come home. Too many of us then believe our obligation to them ends, no more need for prayers or to do anything for them. We must keep them in our hearts and our prayers even then because the need to find peace, the need to heal and to feel God's love is just as strong as the day they left. That is because no one returns from war the same way. All are touched by what they witnessed. They do their duty even with their pain and far too many need help to heal. Be ever watchful over them and remember just because they're back, that does not mean the risk to their lives is over. We lose 18 veterans a day by suicide and over 10,000 a year try to commit suicide. Families fall apart in a time when they need to support each other the most.

Never forget the sacrifice they all make for the sake of this nation they serve.

Obama attends return of fallen troops from Afghanistan
October 29, 2009 8:46 a.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
President Obama was on hand as bodies of soldiers who died in Afghanistan returned home

DEA agents, U.S. troops were recently killed in helicopter crash

Eight U.S. soldiers also killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan
(CNN) -- The flag-draped cases of 18 Americans killed in Afghanistan arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware early Thursday, in a solemn event attended by President Obama.

Also in attendance for the transfer of the bodies were U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Michele Leonhart, acting DEA administrator.

The bodies were of three Drug Enforcement Administration special agents and 15 U.S. troops who died in Afghanistan this week.

The DEA agents were killed Monday as they returned from a raid on a compound believed to be harboring insurgents tied to drug trafficking. Their helicopter with seven troops aboard went down in western Afghanistan.
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