Soldiers sacrifice overseas, and at home

Re “Shrapnel From Home,” Column One, July 15

My brother, a 42-year-old husband and father of two girls, is a major in the Army Reserve serving his first -- and I pray only -- tour in Afghanistan. We keep him stocked with calling cards so he can call his wife and kids every day if he can find a break in his 12- to 17-hour days. But as your article sadly shows, phone calls are often not enough to prevent the dissolution of marriages and relationships for 80% of the Army’s soldiers. I hope many of your readers now understand that a soldier’s sacrifice is not only physical but also spiritual.

Brendon Macaraeg

Los Angeles