FOUNTAIN, Colo. —
First Lt. Aaron Dunn deployed to Afghanistan in early March 2012. His 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, was charged with engaging Taliban fighters in Kunar Province and mentoring Afghan government soldiers. Upon returning, here are some of his views.
Coming home:
“War and coming home are going to mean different things to each soldier. For me it was God and family. I get my security in life from my hope in God, and my companionship and support from my family. I really didn’t worry too much during deployment, because of that faith.”
Support for those serving:
“For a lot of soldiers, it’s the family back home that drives them. Support from family and friends is very important. Support is also important from the American public.. Often times a simple thank you is enough.”
The emotional toll:
“In my opinion, it’s tougher on the families, especially after the unit takes a casualty.. I personally can’t imagine waiting, not knowing if your loved one is alive or even all right, and having a panic each time a car drives by your driveway thinking it’s the military chaplain and escort coming to see you.”
Making up for the lost time with family:
“A lot of people seem to think that ‘quality time’ will make up for a long absence. It doesn’t. Its ‘quantity time’ that does that. It is the time spent doing things that are fun, but also the time spent doing the daily chores, and other routines that firmly bring a family together. Emma was 5 months old when I deployed, and 14 months old when I returned. I was able to stay in touch with the family and had the luck to watch Emma begin to crawl via Skype.”
National News
Related Photos
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In this Nov. 30, 2012. photo, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn kisses his wife Leanne, holding their baby Emma, age 14 months, as they reunite during an arrival ceremony for soldiers returning from a deployment in Afghanistan, at Ft. Carson, in Colorado Springs, Colo. 1st Lt. Dunn, with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, had not seen his wife and baby since he deployed in March. AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
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In this Dec. 9, 2012 photo, roughly a week back from Afghanistan, 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn walks into his living room, his wife Leanne cooking in the the kitchen, and their baby Emma walks nearby, in Fountain, Colo. Asked what he'll miss about Afghanistan, Dunn says: "Probably getting to do my job. It's one thing to train, but its a whole different thing when you are actually doing what you have worked so hard at during training. The rewards are there." AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
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In this Dec. 9, 2012 photo, roughly a week back from Afghanistan, 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn tries to feed their baby Emma, age 14 months, as his wife Leanne watches, at home in Fountain, Colo. When Dunn returned from Afghanistan he and Emma had not seen each other since she was 5 months old. As is typical with long deployments and babies, Emma had little clear memory of her father when he came home, and it has taken some weeks for the child to accept his role as a parent. AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
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In this Dec. 23, 2012 photo, three weeks back home from the war in Afghanistan, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn and his wife Leanne pray during services at their church, in Colorado Springs, Colo. On war and coming home, Dunn says: "War and coming home are going to mean different things to each soldier. For me it was God and Family. I get my security in life from my hope in God, and my companionship and support from my family." AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
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In this Dec. 8, 2012 photo, roughly a week back from Afghanistan, 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn cuts a Christmas in an area of National Forest reserved for seasonal cutting, as his wife Leanne carries their baby Emma in a backpack, outside Woodland Park, Colo. Asked about switching gears from warfighter to family man, Dunn says: "A lot of people seem to think that 'quality time' will make up for a long absence. It doesn't. Its 'quantity time' that does that. It's is the time spent doing things that are fun, but also the time spent doing the daily chores, and other routines that firmly bring a family together." AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
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In this Dec. 24, 2012 photo, over three weeks back home from the war in Afghanistan, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn drinks a beer in his garage with a neighbor to stopped by to say hello on Christmas Eve, in Fountain, Colo. Getting back to the routines and simple pleasures of his American life has been a joy for Aaron. AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
Discussion
Soldier adjusts to life at home after Afghanistan
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