I’m particularly sensitive right now to the burden carried by U.S. soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Tomorrow, my 26-year-old son, Ben, leaves for 25 days at Ft. Benning followed by 400 days in Iraq. Ben served a three-year enlistment with the 101st Airborne and was in Iraq for a year as part of the invasion force. He’s been out of the Army for two years (although he did put in an additional year with the California Army National Guard). But a few weeks ago, a FedEx package arrived with travel vouchers and orders to report for another 425 days of duty.

This recall has affected thousands of former soldiers who remain active as part of the Individual Ready Reserve, a five-year post-enlistment commitment. Of course, recruiters don’t tell recruits that they’re likely to be recalled under the IRR. In fact, they’re more likely to tel recruits that the IRR is a court of last resort in order to deal with a major emergency like an invasion.

I read the other day that the Army is relaxing its standards so people with criminal records can enlist. Anything to bolster the size of the force, since recruiting efforts are falling well short of goals. After all, who would volunteer to go spend a year or more in this insane conflict?

So while we hear that no draft is necessary, a draft is taking place under the radar. Ben has recently gotten engaged and was about to embark on a new career path. Instead of pursuing those goals, though, he’s going back to Iraq as part of an effort that comes as close to the old British press gangs as anything I’ve seen in modern America.

So Michele and I are preparing to endure another year of uncertainty and fear. We’re also keenly aware that most of the country conveniently forgets that thousands upon thousands of our young men and women are stuck in the Gulf; their efforts and sacrifice on our behalf has receded largely into the background while our attention is focused on Britney Spears and O.J. Simpson. I caught an Onion video the other day that sought to remind us there’s still a war going on.

It’s nice to see, then, that some organizations haven’t forgotten. Oovoo.com—a face-to-face online video service—is donating 500 web cameras and microphones to the U.S. Air Force so those stationed both atg home and abroad will be able to engage in high-quality, face-to-face communications with their loved ones.

I heard about the donation from Scott Monty, one of the newer members of crayon, which is handling some blogger outreach for Oovoo. He heard through Bryan Person about Ben and decided to give me a call. Of course, I’m more than happy to talk up any organization that goes out of its way to make life a little easier or more pleasant for the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who put their lives at risk doing other people’s dirtywork.