When Bryan Puckett joined the Army National Guard in Wisconsin in 2001, he didn't ever expect to be involved in actual combat.

But Afghanistan and the Iraq War changed all that for Puckett and many others serving in the National Guard.

Puckett returned from serving in Iraq on July 20, and he and his wife, Tara, and their children are adjusting to being together again.

One thing Puckett had to get used to while serving overseas was that back home his wife was actively protesting the war in the hopes of getting American troops home as soon as possible.

"At first, it was kind of tough," Puckett said, sitting next to his wife in their Corvallis living room. "She had good intentions. I never thought she was doing anything wrong. I never felt resentment. But I was puzzled."

Tara Puckett was able to make it clear to her husband that she was not anti-soldier, but that she thought the best way to support the troops was to work to bring them home as quickly as possible. She did so by doing everything from attending peace vigils to speaking out at public forums.

"I sorted it out over there," he said of his time in Iraq. "I was able to hear her speak to the Oregon House of Representatives on the Internet. I really didn't mind."

Puckett, whose time in the National Guard isn't up until Feb. 28, 2009, won't talk about his personal opinion on how the war is going.

"I've got a family to think about," he said.

He also won't be participating in protests with his wife, although he is happy to watch the children when she asks. He ended up manning the booth of anti-war presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich at the Farmers' Market last Saturday, but only because everyone else left to go to the speaker's corner, and he ended up filling in.

"They left me there, and I took over," he laughed.

Tara Puckett agrees that her husband should not jeopardize his own career.

"I do believe he should stay out (of activism)," she said.

Puckett must return to his own National Guard unit in Wisconsin in 90 days to participate in a final drill and make arrangements to transfer to an Oregon unit. He's trying to decide which unit will be most suitable for his specialties, which include infantry and human resources. But he's also hoping to find a unit that isn't going to deploy any time soon, allowing him to spend the remainder of his service time on U.S. soil.

Once he's officially a member of the Oregon National Guard, he can apply to get funds for school. Puckett said he would like to enroll at Linn-Benton Community College. He's also looking for work in the area, and hopes to get involved in law enforcement.

Puckett was injured by an explosive device in late May, but he is making a good recovery. He is already sprinting up mountain trails and is pleased with how his leg is healing. His next challenge will be navigating the Veteran's Administration System as skillfully as he's navigating those hills.

But for the next few weeks, he's learning how to be a full-time dad and a husband again, and Tara Puckett is getting used to having her husband back home.

"I think we all sleep a lot better," Tara said. "I'd forgotten what a full night's sleep is like."