DENVER -- Approximately 250 airmen from the Colorado Air National Guard are on deployment this July 4th.
They’re serving in Japan as part of a peace keeping mission in the Pacific. They’ve been at the Kadena air base in Okinawa since this Spring.
As they spend this holiday abroad, their family members are dealing with their absence.
"I'm proud of what he's doing and it's necessary," said Cathy Isaac, whose son Kevin is part of the deployment.
“I’m very proud of his service, yet not liking that he's 7,000 miles away,” she said, describing her mixed emotions. "Also, that he risks his life. That's nothing a mother ever likes for her son to ever be in danger."
Cathy saw her son in a Denver7 story on local airmen serving in Okinawa. She wants us all to know about the men and women who are away from home this July 4th.
"They are sacrificing a lot, so that we can do what we do. We get to barbeques; we get to say ‘ooh’ and ‘aww’ at the fireworks, so it's because of them and I just think people need to remember that and say thank you," she said.
Nothing is simple for families with relatives serving overseas -- everyone feels the impact.
"The families do serve. They go without having their son, daughter, husband, wife, whoever, there, and so someone has to pick up that slack while they're gone and so it can be challenging," said Cathy.
Recent news about tension involving North Korea doesn't make things easy for moms like Cathy, coping in their own way.
"It does make us anxious, and I just have to kind of soak it and just have faith,” she said. "Have faith he'll be OK. Yet, I know not everyone is OK. So, we just have to do the best we can."
