For kin, the Iraq mission isn’t over
As troops depart, work remains
By Brian MacQuarrie
Globe Staff
When the last US combat brigade from Iraq crossed into Kuwait this past week, that benchmark in a bloody, seven-year war was greeted with mixed reactions from veterans and military families who have ties to Massachusetts.
To some, the withdrawal is tangible proof of a job well done. To others, the 50,000 US troops left behind to provide training and security underscore the daunting perils that face Iraq’s fragile, fledgling democracy.
All agree, however, that much work remains to be done.
To Maura Kilbride, a Newton native whose husband, Bryan, recently deployed to Iraq for a fourth tour, the war has been measured in sleepless nights, the births of three children, and questions about whether the United States will ever be at peace.
Occasionally, Kilbride said, people are surprised to hear that her husband has returned to Iraq. They will ask, “Aren’t we done over there?’’ she said.
“Yes, the combat troops are gone, but my husband is over there,’’ Kilbride said. “I don’t want people to take their eye off the war. The war is not over. There are still troops over there who are still in harm’s way, and families here whose brothers, husbands, and sons are there.’’
Since Sept. 11, 2001, a total of 8,300 Army and Air National Guard members from Massachusetts have been deployed overseas, with the bulk of them dispatched to Iraq. Currently, 594 Massachusetts National Guard members are serving there.read more here
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