War on the Home Front

In 2002, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division deployed to Kuwait from its home at Fort Stewart, Georgia ahead of the invasion of Iraq. When that invasion began, the unit would gain honors and fame for its rapid thrust toward Baghdad—what became known as the Thunder Run. The brigade's accomplishments were reported on widely, with observers around the world able to follow the unit's progress nearly in real time. But when a missile strike hit its tactical operations center and two soldiers were killed, that news spread rapidly, as well, all the way back to Fort Stewart—quicker than the formal casualty notification process. Ginger Perkins and Cindy Wesley were both leaders of the brigade's family readiness group. They join this episode to share the challenges they faced during that deployment, describing the invasion from a unique and often forgotten vantage point on the home front.