U.S. military fathers serve their country with honor and dedication, but their noble service comes with the high personal cost of missing out on many irreplaceable moments with their families. I have raised my children mostly alone, and while I'm grateful and proud of my husband's service, I am filled with grief for military families.

My husband has served our country for decades. We've had children all over the world and experienced a challenging, yet abundant, life. As wartime years loomed, so did my anxiety, waiting for something to happen. Because something always happened.

In 2009, I found out I was pregnant, in a Chicago hotel, on the last day of my husband's R&R. I was excited and devastated. After experiencing two miscarriages, I was pregnant a third time. But the day I found out about the pregnancy was the day he would fly back to war, instead of coming home with me. I get it, sacrifices must be made, and they have, time and time again.

When my husband returned from war, I was well into my pregnancy. He had already missed the........

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