When the death toll of American soldiers killed in Iraq reached 2,000 this week, for the families of soldiers still in the Middle East it was more than just a statistic, more than a story that ends when the TV is turned off.
For many of the families of the 160,000-plus troops serving in Iraq, dealing with a parent, sibling or friend overseas makes the listening to news from the war a daily ordeal.
"It was very tough on my family. My parents were glued to the television every day praying and hoping that I was not among the wounded or dead," said Mohamed Munassar, a senior exercise science major who just returned from Iraq.
Like most soldiers and military personnel, Mohamed left an anxious family behind. His five brothers, one sister and parents kept in touch with him through phone calls, emails and personal letters.
"My mother would often cry on the phone. She was so happy to hear my voice," said Mohamed.
Although coverage of the war in Iraq is featured daily in the news, when the general public chooses not to know the latest casualty figures or see the photos of bombs sites and gun battles, they avoid the images and continue with their normal life. For the families of soldiers, each day brings new fears and anxieties.
Andrew Tarnowski, a junior music major, is one person who pays extra close attention to what is gong on in Iraq. His father, a flight engineer in the Air Force, is currently stationed overseas.
While it can be difficult, Tarnowski tries not to let it affect his daily life too much.
"I still go to and from school, study, hang out with friends, the usual. I know that is how my dad would want it to be," he said. "Having a normal lifestyle helps me not think about the bad things to much."
The chance of injury and death is a constant worry, as is the difficulty for families and friends of soldiers in Iraq to face the protests against the war. Tarnowski is proud of what his father does and, although he respects the right of others to demonstrate against the war, he finds it extremely selfish.
"They have every right to protest," he said. "That being said, I feel they are way off base. They have enjoyed the luxury and freedom of the United States all their lives."
Munassar and his family also struggled with the reaction they faced from some members of their local community.
"The fact of me being a Muslim and an Arab fighting an American war that many view as an attack on Islam did not flow well with a lot of people that me and my family knew," he said.
Daniel Honer, a criminal justice student at Niagara County Community College, is a specialist in the army and just recently returned to the states after serving in Egypt. As Honer's mother is retired from the U.S. Air Force and one of his brothers is in the Marine Corps, it is his younger siblings who find it hardest when he is away.
"My parents are starting to get used to me or my brother being away, but my sisters take it a little bit harder because they don't really know why I am away and they would like for me to be home," said Honer.
Communication between soldiers fighting abroad and their family and friends is invaluable. E-mail and letters are the main ways soldiers keep in touch, and phone calls are especially significant.
'Having a family member or friend serving overseas can be disconcerting. We are here to help when students find themselves struggling emotionally, socially or academically," said Sharon Mitchell, director of UB's counseling services.
Honer said that hearing news from home could make the day much easier for anybody serving overseas.
"When soldiers are away for a good amount of time they start to become detached without communication back home," he said. "I would encourage anyone that knows anyone that is over there to talk to them."
