I watched the press conference as Major General Dubie announced the deployment of over 1500 Vermont National Guard soldiers to Afghanistan and others to Iraq. While we had all expected the news, it is nonetheless sobering to hear it formalized. These wars are unlike others that our country fought in Europe and even in Vietnam. Although there are news stories on a regular basis, the conflicts often lose their immediacy in our everyday lives—unless of course you have a family member, loved one or friend that is serving. As the memory 0f 9/11 fades, the sense of our collective connection to the conflict fades as well --- until 1500 of are called up and leave.

Make no mistake, 1500 working men and women will be missed. Businesses will have to adapt and figure out ways to accomplish their mission with fewer staff or how to back fill in critical areas. But, at the end of the day, whether you run a non-profit, a Fortune 500 company or a small business, our role in the war on terrorism is to ensure that those we send to fight have a job when they return. No soldier should have to worry that they will not be able to provide for their families or themselves after their tour of duty is done.

The Vermont National Guard does a fantastic job of supporting families up to and throughout deployment. In the greatest Vermont tradition, they make sure that their own are taken care of. We should all join with the Guard and go the extra mile to make sure that the little peace of mind that we can give goes with our soldiers to the front.