ìCivilian Jobs in Iraq Pay Well but, Wives Find, Not in Respect: Halliburton, Others Help Out, But Spouses Learn They Must Do for Themselves,î by Jonathan Fig, Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug, p. A1.

A lot of American civilians are doing serious Sys Admin work in Iraq right now, serving alongside our troops in very dangerous situations:

But back home, the workers have gotten little attention, except when they have been captured, killed or accused of misdeeds. Since they arenít in the armed forces, their families enjoy none of the support systems built around military bases and veterans groups. When workers return home, there are no parades and no medals.

ìA lot of us donít tell people what our husbands are doing,î says Mrs. Lease, 44 years old. While military wives get sympathy and respect, she says, the wives of civilian workers often hear their husbands described as mercenaries.

If we are going to shrink the Gap, that mentality will have to change.