The reality of war hits the home front hard. Deployments suspend life: fathers miss out on many firsts; mothers carry the burden of family life in their absence; and children grow up with a parent spending more time at war than at home. And that’s just life during deployments. When tragedy hits, as it has all too often during these protracted wars, dreams are destroyed. Families have to learn to live with a permanent absence and a heavy sense of loss.
But the battles don’t end when war does. As soldiers return from Afghanistan and Iraq, we see how reintegrating into life at home can be a battle as well. Many soldiers come home with physical injuries or psychological wounds such as post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, or traumatic brain injuries that tax everyone in the family.
Home Front USA looks at the sacrifices (small and large) that our military men and women and their families make in the service of our country; it also considers the monumental challenges facing our military communities and our nation as these wars draw to a close.
Exhibition Dates: February 15 – May 30, 2013
SFP Studio - Sun Valley, ID
Sun Valley Center For The Arts - Ketchum, ID