Article November 5, 2001 Issue

COURAGE on the home front

How a newly engaged couple dealt with separation during the Persian Gulf conflict

By Sentinel Staff

JULY 1990. Karen and Randy Craft have just announced their engagement. Karen, who is in management, has returned home to prepare for a fall wedding, and Randy has returned to his assignment with the US Marine Corps in North Carolina. Several days later, he leaves on a training deployment. But it is cut short by events in the Middle East involving Iraq and Kuwait. Randy's unit receives immediate orders to sail for the Persian Gulf.

"I was stunned when Randy called with the news," Karen told the Sentinel. "I wanted to immediately fly to see him. But his base was closed to civilians and on highest alert, so I stayed home. Instead of preparing for a wedding, I found myself preparing to deal with an unexpected and scary world event that had totally changed our lives. All of a sudden, I had to deal with an uncertain and terrifying future."

From what Karen was reading, Randy was going to be part of a huge amphibious landing force that was predicted to have 50-to-60 percent casualties.

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