Veteran who lost son in Iraq War says Obama's decision on troop drawdown delay will be hard for military families

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville veteran who lost his son in the Iraq War said he believes President Barack Obama's decision to delay the troop draw-down in Afghanistan will be hard for military families waiting for their loved ones to return home.
 
Retired Naval Officer Dave Seamans said he is torn on whether the move is the best military strategy but knows no matter what, it will affect those with family members serving in Afghanistan.

"It's very stressful when a husband is over there and he's slated to come home maybe in November and now they say 'you're not coming until next August,'" Seamans said. "That puts stress on the spouse. It puts stress on the children and that puts stress on him."

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Seamans' son Army Private First Class Timothy Seamans served in Iraq but was killed in 2005 at just 20 years old.
 
Seamans said while he wants our military efforts to be successful, he doesn't want any other families to face that kind of loss.

"You wonder as a parent what would he have accomplished if he did come home," Seamans said.
 
Obama said 9,800 troops will stay in Afghanistan until the end of 2016.
 
That number would drop to 5,500 by early 2017.

"Maintaining our current posture through most of next year rather than a more rapid draw down will allow us to sustain our efforts to train and assist Afghan forces as they grow strong," Obama said.

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