More from my friend Jeff Denning, who was recently called up in the Army Reserves and is now fighting in Iraq. He's writing a blog and wanted me to read his first few entries. He's a good writer, and expertly describes one recent battle he witnessed:

"The battle lasted for nearly seven hours. They knew the consequences going into this vulnerable skirmish. It was a high threat mission that few would ever volunteer for. Casualties were expected. Once it began the level of stress and exhaustion was nearly overwhelming. Tempers flared and thoughts of soldiers dying surfaced. Thick tension filled the battle zone like never before. Shocking chills and near-tearful pleas came and went. Demanding, screaming voices could be heard over the sounds of gunfire and car bombs. There was fear, anger, rage, uncertainty and frustration. It was tough. And, the relief seemed days away.

"That's exactly what happened on Monday when the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, General David Patraeus, flanked by Ambassador Ryan Crocker, testified in the Cannon Caucus room in Washington D.C."

Jeff also talks about how he misses his family, and the problems they face in his absence.

"The young girls in my daughter's Sunday School class told her I would die. My six-year-old son is terribly stressed about that. No doubt his schoolmates say the same thing. I can’t communicate with the smaller kids. The refrigerator and hot water heater broke soon after I left, leaving my sweet wife to fix that, as well as the toilet sewer water that flooded the basement. And that's just the beginning of it! Forget the stress that comes from being separated and the difficult transition when coming home."

My husband completed his reserve duty this summer. He helped me clean the house yesterday. I've decided not to mention the gutter issue and leave him to his NASCAR race today.

You can read the rest of Jeff's blog here.

Every American should.

-- Audrey Hudson, Homeland Security reporter, The Washington Times