Battleland

The Rest of The Story

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For almost a decade, I’ve been getting statements from the Pentagon like this one:

If you can’t make out the small print, it’s an announcement of the combat death of Marine Cpl. Chad Wade, in Afghanistan, two months ago today. These terse messages are heartbreaking in their directness and numbing in their number. It’s important to remember they don’t only mark the end of a life. They also signal a painful beginning for those left behind. Chad Wade’s 20-year-old widow tells you what that’s like here.