A SCHOOLFRIEND of Paul Barton put it best in today's Midweek Visiter regarding the British personnel held captive in Iran.
Mohamed Zbaeda said the news his Birkdale High classmate was probably among the 15 military staff detained "brings it closer to home," and it certainly does.
We have featured a number of stories in our pages over the past couple of years about our brave lads setting off for duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What readers don't see is the time a reporter spends with a soldier and their family before they set off.
It can be as little as half-an-hour in a sitting room, listening to a squaddie proudly talking about serving his country and looking forward to doing his duty.
Alongside them is a mum, wife or girlfriend, equally as proud, but there is always that uncertain tone to their voice. They burst with pride over the military man who sets off with his comrades, but it is a husband or father who may not be coming home.
It is those moments when a reporter gets an all-too-brief glimpse of the anguish a family goes through. That not-knowing, which is a cruel necessity of national security.
Until now we have had largely positive tales to tell of our lads out there, of Christmas parcels sent to the front line and Sandgrounders doing their bit to make sure the troops aren't forgotten.
There could be a positive resolution to this situation, let's hope there is. But this is the first time in a long time the real dangers of serving your country have been brought so close to home.
Our thoughts are with Paul Barton, and his family.
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