My Son was in Iraq with the Marine Corp last summer. Since he has been back, he is frequently stopped and thanked. While performing in the Rose Bowl Parade, (drummer with Mar Div Band) he was moved by the positive reaction from the crowd. He also tells us of multiple meals which are bought from he and his buddies.
Although I do not support the decision to fight in Iraq, I do support the forces and appreciate the support my son and others recieve in this difficult situation.

Sent by Sue Duncan | 2:29 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I am not a member of the military but have learned to live with effects of trauma after 10 years of being misdiagnosed and misunderstood. If I could offer any advice it would be to talk about it until you decide your done talking. It doesn't matter if people are sick of hearing you talk about but you will know when your ready to live with new self.

Sent by Brian | 2:31 PM ET | 03-15-2007

No we have not forgotten our brave soldiers and I get sick in the pit of my stomach when the Newshour displays pictures and info on those recently losing their lives and tears come easily! The last time they listed 15 and I shook my head in concern.

Sent by Doris Chavez | 2:32 PM ET | 03-15-2007

the father on the show helped cope by believing that the cause "is right." I've never believed in the justification of the Iraq war. Is my support of the troops and their willingness to serve unappreciated?

Sent by withheld | 2:48 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I opposed the war at every turn; but I believed my daughter's courage, commitment, and compassion had to be helping someone during the year she was deployed in Iraq. And I know she did meet some fine, brave people trying to build or just survive in their country. I could barely work or sleep while she and her husband-to-be were there. Let us learn from this and all question, question, question who benefits from war! And make use of the ability and talent of those returning soldiers!

Sent by moira heffron | 2:49 PM ET | 03-15-2007

Of course we support our soldiers. However, saying that we reacted to an attack on America is incorrect. We are fighting in Iraq, and Iraq did not attack America. Why are these two seperate issues so often confused?

Sent by Susie Jansen | 2:50 PM ET | 03-15-2007

While recognizing the human cost being paid by these gentlemen and their families, there is also a passivist viewpoint. Has going to war produced less war in the future? I would say these people are sacrificing to a mistaken notion, widely peddled by our largely militarized culture.
I know these people need to think they are doing something constructive - "the right thing" - but maybe they aren't. Give peace a chance.

Sent by DIck Feldman | 2:51 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I was a freelance photographer for the Associated Press's Cleveland Bureau dispatched to the Montgomery's home in 2005 to try to find something to photograph to go along with the story about the death of Marine Brian Montgomery. I was sent to the home and to the businesses that the Montgomery's own to see if there were any memorials or people congregating. It's something that photographers often have to do...but never like to do.

I wanted to write to say how difficult it is as a journalist to have to do these stories. They are very important though because they put a human face on this war. They help people around town realize that there is a real casualty from the war. I wanted to personally say thank you to Paul Montgomery for the price that he and his family paid and also that it is very necessary to learn about his son and all other veterans that paid the ultimate price. I want to thank him for his understanding and for the sacrifice that his family made for the rest of us.

As a journalist, I just wanted him to know that this sort of assignment is the worst kind of assignment and no one likes to do them.

It is however very important to show the peripheral casualties from loss of life in Iraq. It is a fine line to walk between respect and responsibility...we have to respect people that have lost a loved one, but we have an obligation to the readers of the news and the rest of the world to tell these stories.

Sent by David Massey | 2:51 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I was not in the military but worked around vets. I can not understand why many vets are the first to want us to go to war. Also, I can't understand why many vets say war was a very important part of their life and think that all real men should experience it.

Sent by Ron | 2:53 PM ET | 03-15-2007

My nephew was a Marine and served with honor in Iraq. He made it home safely but, like many returning servicemen, felt that since he survived Iraq, he could survive anything. Four months after he left the Marine Corp, he died in a car accident caused by driving much too fast. To those Marines and other service people who feel survivor's guilt, please take care of yourselves. At my nephew's wake, I heard too many of his Marine Corp buddies saying they were sick of going to funerals.

Sent by Beverly Schwartz | 2:56 PM ET | 03-15-2007

Jim Lehrer asked Pres. Bush on Jan. 16 "why, if the war on terrorism was so overwhelmingly important, he had never asked more Americans "to sacrifice something". Our president answered "Well, you know, I think a lot of people are in this fight. I mean, they sacrifice peace of mind when they see the terrible images of violence on TV every night". How does this make our soldiers feel about their commander's response. My opinion, the only ones fighting this war are the armed services and Haliburton. God Bless our soldiers, they deserve better respect than this administration has ever given them.

Sent by Sheila Gilligan | 2:57 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I work in Brookpark, and used to work for 90.3WCPN ideastream. My son Daniel served with your Paul Montgomery's son Brian, and considered him a close friend. Thanks so much for your courage in speaking about a very emotional subject. I couldn't even summon the nerve to call the show. Best wishes to your son Eric in pursuit of officer status.

Sent by Tony Smith, Sr | 3:02 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I JUST LISTENED TO War AT Home and kept thinking to myself..."What if they gave a war and nobody came?"
What wars are NOT for political gain?
Before people feel a patriotic NEED to sign up and "fight for their country", they should educate themselves and ask why and who benefits from war and IF they are really defending their country or defending political agendas.
The father who said his son went to Iraq because we were attacked and wanted his son to be free from war puzzled me.
Once again...we were not attacked by Iraq and there will always be wars. His son will always have the "opportunity" to go to war. As long as people are willing to go fight for a political needs there will always be wars.

Sent by mariyn stanley | 3:03 PM ET | 03-15-2007

Talk of the Nation's web site gets it right, but not so on the radio where Mr. Conan said that this is the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq. We are not at war in Iraq. We won the war in a matter of weeks after the initial invasion and we've been occupiers ever since. We are now in the crossfire of a civil war and our troops are the targets of terrorism. The floods of emotion for the military after they're maimed or killed is interesting considering there was so much enthusiasm to send these young people into the needless catastrophe of the Iraq occupation. May I suggest that caring people consider the hideous consequences BEFORE they cheer on another "war" based on vanity and lies.

Sent by Bob | 3:07 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I felt this program was almost a commercial for the war, because it challenged none of the assumption that got us into this war being spoken by the father who was informed by Fox News. You can support the sacrifice of the families, without buying into the belief that this war is defending our country and that these soldiers are fighting for us. I protested this war before it began and I am deeply troubled that there were no antiwar voices on this program, except for one e-mail at the end with a woman who mainly talked about honoring the troops. While I do not want to attack the individual soldiers, they are not fighting for me. I would feel safer if they came home and we could go back to public policies that did not make us an object of hate around the world. I look to NPR for coverage that is more fair and balanced than Fox News. In this program I was deeply dissappointed.

Sent by Marilyn | 3:18 PM ET | 03-15-2007

to patti from patty. I was born and raised just outside detroit and wanted her to know that her's were the first records that i had to listen to in secret, because my mother wouldn't allow me to listen...she has always remained true to her vision and her recent releases are just as enjoyable to me as her early music! Congrats Patti!

Sent by Patti schigoda | 3:32 PM ET | 03-15-2007

Come on, A Hard Days Night is pure genius like everthing the Beatles did

Sent by William Arthrell | 4:12 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I too felt this show was a bit too much an advertisement for the U.S. military and less about the changes in the USA and Iraq. Neil perhaps should have challenged that father who said several times that we were attacked. The U.S. is there willingly and while I sympathize with those who serve, I think the comments of the NPR worker in Bagdad said it all - I cry every time I think about what horrors the US has created for those who live there and a little less what our government has done to our own youth.

Sent by David Williams | 4:26 PM ET | 03-15-2007

Closing the show with Saleem Amer was an ironic twist that saved the show from being self-righteous militarism. Saleem longs for the days of Saddam, but Saleem is not a Sunni or a Bathist. So just who was served by all those selfless "servicemen"?

By the way, there are many ways to serve one's country, such as running a first-rate news network like NPR. Thanks for your patriotic service.

Sent by Jerry | 4:48 PM ET | 03-15-2007

helloo there..

I am from Indonesia and I was listening to your program
about people who are in still the services and who has retired and comes home that some of them were badly injured from the war.

I personally will always admire them
as a person who had responsibility no matter how big would be the consequences that would affect their personal life for defending their country

I personally dont have an experiences on how to be a part of the family that has those kinds of experiences that has to be send one of the family members to the war or duty
but as a mother myself i know exactly how it feels to lost one of our children or how to see them hurt that would only the deepest part of a woman has carry them in our own body for nine months this was some feeling that not anybody can understand.

one thing that i really gives an opinions that we are as societys should be openly and share their burden as what's they done for us. And the government who is the most responsible for their welfare and should be took care of their family who has been left for the country's sake
and should think about their future when they comeback when things will not the same again for them for instance if they badly injured or becomes disable. Some story told us that some of them were abandoned for being disable and thats very disappointing for me to hear.

hope this email would gives support for them

Sent by umi zakiyah | 8:01 PM ET | 03-15-2007

I struggle with what it means to support our troops but believe that this administration uses the issue as a way to cow all dissenters of its disastrous course. Many politicians who oppose a troop surge backed down from using the only power they have, i.e., the purse, out of fear of not supporting our troops. My heart breaks for all those who joined the military as a way to get a college education or just have a job. But I have to admit that your guest's comment about his sons fighting in Iraq to serve our country rang hollow to my ears. While Neil could have challenged some of his ideas, it must be a very difficult thing to do with a father who's lost his son. I think putting Saleem on at the end was an effective counterpoint, yet sensitive. However, I'd like to respond by saying his sons are not fighting for me. They are fighting for George Bush, Dick Cheney, Haliburton, KBR, Blackwater USA, the oil co.'s, etc. How about supporting our troops by bringing them home?

Sent by Betsy | 12:51 PM ET | 03-16-2007

Plan B 2.0!!!!!
When will it be talked about?
When will Lester Brown come on the show and talk about it? Has it already happened and I missed it? Lester4Prez!

Sent by Shannon Swayne | 3:12 PM ET | 03-16-2007

I support the personnel in the military, regardless of who made the decision to go to Iraq/Afghanistan, and I was happy to hear Neil Conan speaking with the families of those who have fallen. It pains me, however, to hear Neil express his regret at the Security Company in the program losing two personnel when they were shipped out, and then also noting that those personnel were not dead "yet".

Sent by James | 7:21 PM ET | 03-16-2007

A number of people spoke of thanking military folks for their service. I too thank them for their courage and dedication to our nation.
In addition, I sincerely apologize to them and their families for the debacle in Iraq. I failed to campaign successfully to defeat the people who brought it about.
I hope someday the people killed and maimed both physically and psychologically in that war and their families can find it in their hearts to forgive all of us in the US electorate, who failed them miserably.
Something Congress can do now to mitigate the effects of future such conflicts is pass legislation that automatically activates a military draft whenever it becomes necessary to call up any Reserve or National Guard Unit(s) for foreign combat duty for more than 90 days.

Sent by Bil McDavid | 1:16 AM ET | 03-17-2007

I was livid at the presumptuousness and lack of journalistic integrity presented on this program. This war was begun on the flimsiest or pretexts, and immediately collapsed into an unmitigated moral and political travesty. It sparked the most widespread protests of ANY other issue in the ENTIRE history of the planet earth. 60-80% of Americans now say they oppose the war, and our last election saw a change of governance largely due to this opposition. And yet...NPR chooses to air a piece of jingoist propoganda, the theme of which can be stated simply as 'thank the soldiers'.
I, for one, will NOT be thanking the soldiers at this time, or at any time in the future. While I wish no one any ill will, American, Iraqui or elsewhere, I simply can NOT THANK those people who are involved in carrying out an action which I (and millions of others worldwide) find utterly reprehensible. I wish the troops health and personal safety, and I would like to see every one of them brought home from this senseless, genocidal tragedy. However, that is a far cry from wanting to THANK them for taking part in an enterprise which we don't even have to wait for the judgement of history to reveal as a disastrous travesty. The men and women who serve in the U.S. armed forces made their choice based on their own moral/economic/ and political compass. Like every person who makes a choice, they must deal with the ramifications of their decision. I wish them the best, and I hope that this experience will be for them an education as to the the true nature and human cost of frivolous warfare. But I will not, I CAN NOT, thank them for what they do. What they do, they do NOT in my name, or in the names of the millions of others who have opposed this war from the outset. I have actively worked to end this war. That is my personal choice based upon my own moral compass. I do not expect the troops or anyone else to thank me for that service. I do it because I judge it to be the right and necessary thing to be done. If a U.S. soldier believes in the cause for which they are in Iraq, that is their right, and I can agree to disagree with them without turning them into my adversary. That being said, I HIGHLY resent the presumptuousness of those who insist I should 'thank' the soldiers for what they are doing. I am perfectly capable of determining who I wish to offer thanks, and for what causes. Airing a public radio program which preaches the necessity of thanking soldiers for what we are opposed to, while ignoring the massive public opposition to the war, is irresponsible propaganda and destroys the credibility of public radio. I for one will not be offering financial support for public radio if this is the level of journalistic integrity that will be on display.

Sent by jeff herring | 8:54 PM ET | 03-18-2007

Most of the military people fighting and dying or being maimed in Iraq chose to sign up to be "citizen soldiers" believing their purpose would be to protect American soil and help American victims of disaster.
They are just as much victims of this dishonest, incompetent and unrepentent Administration as the rest of us are, except they are being impacted far worse than the rest of us because they chose to honor their commitment despite the consequences.
I can't fault them for doing what they said they would do. SO few people will do that these days!

Sent by Bil McDavid | 1:17 PM ET | 03-19-2007