Lt. Col. Rich McConnell said he’s among a generation of service members that has been “quietly making history” in the longest deployment in American history, according to some recent news reports.
“The more people tend to go to combat zones, it’s not uncommon to run into guys who have been downrange four tours, five tours,” he said. “Some folks come back with great combat experience, but they are also experiencing a lot of bad stuff.”
His wife, Rose, has also been a survivor of her husband’s three recent deployments. She and her husband are one of the couples facilitating a group for the Fort Leavenworth Chapel Community called “Faith-Based Solutions to the Combat Experience.”
“Those of us who are leading the group have been through it,” she said. “This is a confidential environment. This is a safe environment for us to share.”
