Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Along with the constant images of a war half way around the world comes the realization that what’s going on in Iraq is having a profound and very direct impact on thousands of Utah families and a lot of communities.
Foremost is the tragedy of war casualties. No amount of private or community condolence can ease the pain of losing a loved one in battle. When Staff Sergeant James W. Cawley, a Salt Lake City police officer serving with the 23rd Marine Reserve Regiment, became the first Utahn killed in the conflict, the reality of war arrived on our collective doorstep.
Cawley’s death was a sobering reminder that nearly four thousand Utah reservists and guard members, in addition to countless military regulars, are deployed for service. In fact, Utah has provided a higher percentage of so-called weekend warriors than any other state in the nation.
The impact is especially keen on smaller communities where significant portions of the workforce were called up for service. In addition to concerns for the safety of the soldiers, comes the challenge of carrying on life without key people in the community.
KSL acknowledges the sacrifices being made by thousands of Utah families during this time of war. We urge all Utahns to coalesce behind those whose loved ones are directly involved in the conflict.
