Photo above: Deployment Ceremony held in Prestonsburg, KY. Rep. Hubert Collins is seated wearing dark suit and tie.

This war has become very personal for us. Our son, John Barger, a captain in the Kentucky National Guard, is taking his company of Combat Engineers into harm's way. His unit is with the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan.

As his family praying for the safe return of the almost 500 young men and women who make up Kentucky’s combat engineers joining the 101st, we support our troops, so we can only hope their mission in Afghanistan will get the support and attention as the war in Iraq.

We wish our political leaders would bring the same selfless devotion to their duty that our soldiers bring to theirs.