Background information and commentary by Andrew Carroll: The following letter was sent by Heather Ashline to her husband, Jason, a private first class with the 10th Mountain Division, who was fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan at the time, and it is a favorite of mine for several reasons. It is, I believe, first and foremost a beautifully written and heartfelt letter. But it is especially significant because it reminds us of the sacrifices made not only by our troops on the front lines, but by their loved ones back in the States. Along with all of the responsibilities of running a home, working one and sometimes two jobs, and, in so many cases, raising children by themselves, these military wives (and, increasingly, husbands) live with the constant anxiety of wondering if they will ever receive the unbearable news that their spouse has been wounded or killed in action. These extraordinary individuals also deserve our admiration and support. Heather's letter is also important because it relates to Afghanistan, which receives very little attention these days. Just last week, on Wednesday December 28, we lost two more American soldiers there, and six more were wounded. I barely noticed the tiny story, which was on page A15 of my local paper. Heather's letter was first published in its entirety in BEHIND THE LINES . (Their son, Jason II, who is mentioned in the letter, was two-and-a-half, and their youngest, Alec, was only three months old.)

Hey Babe,

Jason is constantly thinking about you. He talks to you on the phone (pretending) and makes your mother and I do it too, he plays with you (pretend again) and he will ask about you. When we went home, he asked if we were going to go pick you up. When I said no, he said he wanted to. I don't think there's a minute when he isn't thinking about you. He's even trying to teach Alec to say “Dada.” It's a little early, but we still try.

Tonight, Alec was staring at a picture of you on your mother's fridge. He was just fixated on it. Don't you worry about him knowing you, he'll remember. Now, let's talk about me. I love you, and nothing will ever change that. You have brought so much happiness into my life, and I'm not just talking about the two beautiful boys you gave me....

Everyday I think about you coming home and how much I want to be able to hold you, touch you, see you come through the door after work. I miss cooking you your meals, dragging you out of bed in the morning, and kissing you goodnight at the end of every day. I need you in my life. Without you I would be lost, I wouldn't know how to carry on. If I ever lost you for any reason, my world would shatter. I'm going to go now; I'm exhausted. I love you.

Love Always,

Heather

As a New Year's resolution for 2006, I hope that we, as a nation, all do more to support our troops and their families. There are many organizations and websites, such as www.AmericaSupportsYou.com , that list information on ways to help, and I will make sure that the Legacy Project does its part to bring more attention to organizations working to make a positive difference in the lives of those who serve—overseas and here at home.

NEXT WEEK: A female soldier in the Gulf confides to her sister that she's heartbroken by her husband's uncaring attitude.