FIRST OF FOUR PARTS
There's no smell of coffee first thing in the morning, no man-size shoes on the mat by the door, no one to sleep on the other side of Cari Collins bed. Her husband, Brian Collins, a captain in Iraq, has been deployed for more than a year.
SECOND OF FOUR PARTS
Long before dawn, before her children stir, when darkness still fills the windows on Fort Richardson, Lauren Bretz wakes to pray:Protect the children, keep them healthy and cheerful. Make her a better mother and a better wife. Keep Nat safe in Iraq, bring
THIRD OF FOUR PARTS
Fort Richardson, where every housing unit has a name, there's a sign out front of a faded block of apartments that reads, "Welcome to Independence. Mayor: Vicki Bell."
FOURTH OF FOUR PARTS
For a while it seemed the calls came every day: soldiers injured, soldiers killed, soldiers injured, soldiers killed. Colleen Mihalic looked at the caller ID in her Eagle River living room and debated whether to quit answering the phone.
AUDIO SLIDESHOW
Crystal Becker's mind goes back to the moment before she saw the soldiers in dress uniform on her front porch. Her daughter Cierra, 7, hunched over a school project. Cheyenna, her 5-week-old baby, dozed in a swing.
Cari Collins: Keeping it together
Cari Collins offers a glimpse into her life raising four daughters alone while her husband serves in Iraq, and what his return will mean.
Lauren Bretz: Anchored in faith
For Lauren Bretz, strength to handle her husband's yearlong deployment came from her faith.
Vicki Bell gives insight into the unique challenges of military matrimony others" and her own.
Colleen Mihalic: Counting the days
Colleen Mihalic recounts her journey through isolation and sadness and finally welcomes her husband home.
Funeral for Marine Cpl. Gregory Fleury
A funeral service for Marine Cpl. Gregory M. W. Fleury was held on Friday afternoon, November 6, 2009, at First Baptist Church in Anchorage. Fleury died while serving in the Afghanistan province of Helman when two helicopters collided on October 26.
A military mental health doctor facing deployment overseas opened fire at the Fort Hood Army base on Thursday, setting off on a rampage that killed 11 other people and left 31 wounded.
Images from recent memorials held for Alaskans killed in the line of duty in 2009, and brought home to rest.
Fort Rich soldiers in Afghanistan
The 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at work and during downtime.
VIDEO
Andy and Sondra Andrews talk about their son 2nd Lt. Darryn Andrews who was killed while serving in Iraq.
Staff Sgt. Shannon M. Smith with the 545th Military Police Company, Arctic Military Police Battalion at Fort Richardson was killed in Iraq on Sept. 8, 2009. His funeral in Sunbury, Ohio was held Sept. 18.
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