From The Star-Telegram
By David Crary

One of the first sights that greets visitors to Fort Hood is a day-care center’s playground, brightly colored evidence of the Army’s commitment to be family friendly.

A few blocks away is a more poignant symbol: an office building recently converted into a first-of-its-kind support center for women and children whose husbands and fathers have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. The toll has passed 365 at Fort Hood.

“It’s our sanctuary,” said Ursula Pirtle, whose daughter frequents a playroom at the center. Katie, 3, never met her father, Heath.

Ranks of the bereaved continue to increase

Over the past 15 years, America’s armed forces have taken huge strides to retain married service members — improving schools, health programs and child care. But now, as never before in this family-embracing era, the military is struggling with the toughest home-front problem of all: Doing right by the often outspoken and ever-growing ranks of the bereaved.

Of the 3,350 Americans who died in Iraq and Afghanistan through early January, 1,586 — 47.3 percent — were married. Those fallen troops left behind 1,954 children, according to the Pentagon’s Manpower Data Center. More recent deaths have pushed that figure past 2,000.

Read more Strain