Down Range to Iraq And Back by Bridget Cantrell, Chuck Dean (2005, Paperback)

if you are a family member of a military person who has deployed, this is a great read. It puts into perspective, the behaviors you might see when they return. The authors tell a story of a mom who keeps yelling at her returned son to clean his room and empty his duffle bag. Each time she does, he gets upset and runs off. The authors explain that trying to unpack the duffle bag for this boy is more than taking belongings out. It is about the memories he finds as he handles his uniforms and gears. That is so helpful to understand!!!

I have given this book to several friends who have/had sons/husbands deployed. They come back amazed that just leaving the book out, their family member saw it, picked it up, and read it straight thru. There seems to be something about the cover (mostly orange with a deployed soldier on the front) that attracts there eye and makes them willing to pick it up and open it. That seems to be all it takes for them to begin reading it.

I really recommend this to anyone who has ever been deployed or is a family member.

This book is a great read for veterans recently returning from Iraq. Book provides a lot of interesting perspectives that is designed to ultimately lead to the veteran's introspective.