Even if you’ve spent every day of the New Year intensely watching cable news, you probably haven’t seen more than a few minutes of coverage of the enormous sacrifices being made by our military in Afghanistan and around the world. That’s why The Stream is launching a weekly look at America’s military community, which will be focused not on strategy or politics, but the ongoing heroism of our brave men and women in uniform, as well as their families.

Fallen Heroes

U.S. Army Spc. Javonte Sullivan joined the military to “make a better life for his family (and) fight (for) his country,” his aunt, Patricia Hackett, told the local Fox affiliate, WHNS-TV, in Greenville, South Carolina. “It was just something he wanted to do.”

On January 11, Spc. Sullivan returned to the country he fought for in a solemn dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. According to the Department of Defense, he died in Iraq’s Al Anbar province on January 8 in a non-combat incident that is currently under investigation. The WHNS-TV report said the 24-year-old South Carolina soldier left behind a wife and 3-year-old daughter.

Earlier this month, the remains of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mihail Golin, 34, arrived in Dover during a dignified transfer ceremony attended by Vice President Mike Pence. The Pentagon said Sgt. 1st Class Golin was killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province on New Year’s Day. While most Americans were enjoying a holiday, this volunteer warrior made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

A U.S. Army carry team transfers the remains of Army Sgt. 1st Class Mihail Golin of Fort Lee, N.J., on January 3, 2018, at Dover Air Force Base in Delware.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own,” said General John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. “At this very difficult time our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of our fallen and wounded brothers.”

A report by NJ.com notes that four U.S. troops were wounded in the battle, while also mentioning that this fallen hero leaves behind a daughter living in Colorado. Our prayers are with her, as well as the soldiers wounded in the attack.

Afghanistan

Thousands of U.S. troops have fought in Afghanistan for more than 16 years, including 23-year-old U.S. Army Pfc. Alvis Dean III from Culloden, West Virginia. If my math is correct, Pfc. Dean would have been in 1st or 2nd grade when President George W. Bush announced the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001.

According to a feature story in his hometown newspaper, The Herald-Dispatch, Pfc. Dean has a wife and two children back home. We join them in praying for the courageous young man’s swift and safe return.

Middle East

As the tragic prior story of Spc. Sullivan’s death in Iraq reinforces, Afghanistan isn’t the only country where U.S. troops are risking their lives. A January 13 ceremony in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, honored approximately 500 Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers just before they deployed to unspecified countries in the Middle East as part of Operation Spartan Shield.

Approximately 500 Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard were honored in a January 13, 2018, ceremony as they prepared to depart for a deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

“Leaving family, friends and careers is never easy, but your soldiers are prepared to answer the call,” Maj. Gen. Andrew P. Schafer Jr. said at the ceremony, as quoted in this article by Sgt. Zane Craig. “I have full faith and confidence in the soldiers and officers of the division, that they will accomplish the mission proudly.”

We are grateful for the selfless service of these valiant soldiers and will be praying for their safety in the coming months.

Korean Peninsula

More than 30,000 U.S. troops are stationed on the Korean Peninsula, where war could erupt at any moment. The fact that families of many U.S. service members live in South Korea makes the threat of war even more dreadful for Americans serving in North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s crosshairs.

U.S. Army Capt. Roland Pitts is one of those warriors stationed in what is now considered one of the world’s most dangerous places. As this article by Staff Sgt. Terysa King explains, the Jacksonville, Florida, soldier was recently honored by the military for his remarkable efforts to master the Korean language despite not taking a single foreign language class.

“What connects people? It’s not skin color, it’s not the same unit,” Pitts said in a September speech. “What really connects people is thinking; do you sound like me? Do you talk like me? If we learn the language, all this is going to do is strengthen our alliance.”

Let us hope that Capt. Roland Pitts’ spirit of outreach and unity helps the two Koreas and the United States avoid a horrific war.

Coming Home

If you follow The Stream‘s daily Military Photo of the Day feature, you have undoubtedly seen numerous photos of troops returning home from overseas. I couldn’t think of a better way to end this new feature by showing you another wonderful recent picture from a military homecoming ceremony.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bjorn Woodard is greeted by his wife and son at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo on January 15, 2018, upon his completion of a six-month deployment to southwest Asia.

As we thank this American hero home, we pray for our troops still in harm’s way, their families, our veterans, and most of all, our nation’s families of the fallen. All of us at The Stream are eternally grateful for the burdens you shoulder on a daily basis to preserve and protect our freedom.

Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor. He is co-author of three books about U.S. military heroes: 8 Seconds of Courage, Brothers Forever and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo.