Originally published Monday, March 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Why daddy is making the sacrifice
He has a master's degree and two children and worked as a manager for Seattle's Parks Department. But after the Sept. 11 attack on the World...
Seattle Times staff reporter
He has a master's degree and two children and worked as a manager for Seattle's Parks Department.
But after the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, Aaron Bert felt his first duty was to his country.
He rejoined the Army National Guard and now is serving his second overseas tour of duty — this time in Afghanistan.
Beginning today, Capt. Bert, a 35-year-old Olympia native, will be blogging for The Seattle Times about his experiences with the 81st Brigade Combat Team.
Bert's late father was in the National Guard and Bert joined in 1993, because it required one weekend a month and meant money for college.
"Nine-eleven changed the focus of everything," he said. "The reality of the global situation hit home."
He went to Iraq in 2003, a life-changing experience.
Several years afterward he divorced, in part due to his choice of military service, he said.
"It's hard to explain. This is not something you can shed like a coat after you've done it ... not when you're good at what you do and you know there are people still out there."
He hopes his children will one day understand "why daddy is making the sacrifice he is."
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
Illegal workers quietly let go
Metro won't cut bus service after all
Jerry Large: Food-bank theft turns into a gift
Bumper to Bumper: How can the city let bridges go dark?

Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup
Real Salt Lake defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy with penalty kicks after 120 minutes of play at Qwest Field in Seattle.
nwautos
Local riders say they've seen a surge in scooter interest in recent years, mostly from people wanting another commuting option. Seattle now ranks as o...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Do you suffer from "sitting disease"?
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Illegal workers quietly let go
356 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
206 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
170 - Metro won't cut bus service after all
145 - Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
94 - New Husky recruit: Enes Kanter
89 - Tattoos at Mill Creek Church pierce skin, soul
81 - Middleton says Huskies "plan on scoring at least 50 points'' Saturday
74 - Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
73 - UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
66
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Taste | The Great Pie Bake-off pits friends and fruit





