Combat Support: The True Burden of Sacrifice

by Terry E. Cropf

A soldier. A husband. A father. A man with the courage to put his life into print without false bravado or hope for glory. Combat The True Burden of Sacrifice is an open and honest portrayal of a soldier's story and an account of the author's life leading up to and through his military service in the truest sense of what it means to be a soldier. From humble beginnings in a small town in rural Pennsylvania, this is the journey of an average man living an average life. Raised with modest morals and values, the struggles of his youth lead him to the Army with a fresh start and new goals. Living a regimented lifestyle within the confines of the U.S military consumes him; and understanding what is truly important in this world becomes clear when the door to his future presents itself. The future includes living the Army values not for himself alone, but for his new wife and family. This new equation is constantly changing and his love for the Army slowly fades as he gives himself to the one woman who opened his eyes to the precious life they now live. He separates from the Army, but that separation from uniform is short-lived when the attacks of September 11th, 2001 occur. He finds himself struggling for the need to serve his nation again. His return to the military eventually placed him in the role he had dreamed of-serving for his faith and family; and fighting for the freedom of those who could not fight for themselves in Middle Eastern nations fraught with conflict. The separation from his family weighs heavy on his heart and a journal kept during the deployment chronicles the accomplishments of his mission and his love for his family. His supporting role in a combat zone soon turns his thoughts inward to define what truly burdens the families currently experiencing separation within these warring nations. It is not the sacrifice of the service member alone, but the military family experiences; not just during the deployment, but also after it ends. Upon returning he struggles with the erosion of the values he once cherished and returns to a life that seems foreign and distant to what it once was. It is one soldier's journey-but not his alone-and at the end, through all the pain and tears, there is a new and hopeful beginning.

242 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2012