Americas ongoing war with Iraq may be thousands of miles away, but it could not hit closer to home for Greg and Connie Wylie of Ironton.

One of the Wylies sons, Ryan, is already overseas serving in the Navy and another son, Jeremy Williams, serves in the Army Reserves in Boyd County, Ky., and could be deployed soon.

Despite the trying times, the Wylies remain positive and keep their children and the rest of America's servicemen and women in their hearts.

"I probably think about it more than Greg does. I pray a lot," Connie said. "My heart hurts when I see mothers on television. I know everything will be OK, but you always have that doubt."

Ryan Wylie, 27, is a 1994 graduate of Ironton High School. He was deployed into the Mediterranean in December on the U.S.S. Harry Truman aircraft carrier as an aviation electrician with the VFA 105 Gunslingers unit from Norfolk, Va.

Although they have had some e-mail and telephone contact, when Ryan called on Saturday, it was a welcome voice, Connie said.

"He sounded dead tired. He said he was working 18-hours a day and has lost 30 pounds," she said. "He does not seem scared. He knows what he is doing is right."

Ryan, a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan who got up in the middle of the night to watch the National Championship game, had always been interested in law enforcement and really started talking about military service his last few years of high school. It just seemed like a natural choice, Greg said.

So natural in fact that Ryan enlisted in 1994, served for seven years and reenlisted for six more years in 2001. Although Ryan, who now lives in Jacksonville, Fla., enjoys serving his country, everyday that he is away from his wife Jenny, daughter Kia, 8, and son Chandler, 7, is hard on him, Connie said.

"He told me the other day, 'Mom, I have got all the kids' pictures with me. I show them to everyone and tell them that this is my family," Connie said.

For the Wylies and many others like them, it hurts to see protesters on the home front, even though they both said they know everyone has that right.

"I think everyone should be able to voice their opinions," Greg said. "But, if you have family over there then it is a lot different."

Connie says it is a little harder for her to be as understanding.

"I am really insulted. I try not to be that way, but I cannot help it," she said with a sigh. "I do not see how you can say 'I am for the troops, but I am against the war' You cannot be both."

When it comes to the media coverage, Greg and Connie have mixed feelings. While they both appreciate the efforts, Connie says it can almost be addictive.

To Greg, it almost seems unreal.

"It is like watching a ball game. Sometimes you feel like it is too much," he said.

Greg said he feels for family's that hear about their children on the nightly news.

"I think I would prefer someone come and knock on my door and tell me what happened to my son," Greg said. "I do not want to hear about it on television or the Internet."

Overall, the Wylie's continue to rely on their faith, friends and family to pull them through and wait anxiously until their son returns home in June.

"Everyone around town is praying for him and the others soldiers over there," he said. "With God's help he will make it home. It really helps that so many people care.