More than 200 soldiers from Fort Campbell have died while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. This weekend, post officials sponsored a grief program to help survivors, especially children, cope with the loss.
Kids: “One….two….three, let em go!!!”
That’s the sound of dozens of kids releasing balloons tied with hand-written messages.
The grief program, called Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, brings together families from surrounding states. TAPS founder Bonnie Carroll says she’s trying to create a support network.
“We bring families together to learn coping strategies to understand that what they’re feeling is the normal reaction to a very abnormal event. For the kids, it’s building that base of support—these children will go home today with a network of friends they will probably have the rest of their lives.”
More than 100 families took part in the program on Saturday. Ft. Campbell has lost 215 soldiers since 2001, including the three 101st Airborne Division soldiers who died last week in Samarra. Those deaths are still being investigated.
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