'It's like a scar': Fayetteville community on alert as more Fort Bragg soldiers deploy

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- It's lunchtime inside Mission BBQ and the daily tribute to our nation's military is in motion. The national anthem is blaring on speakers above patrons' heads.

"All the kitchen guys and girls at the register come out to salute the flag. All the customers stand up," said manager Jonathan Windham.

As tensions mount on Ukraine's border, this lunch feels different for Windham. The Fayetteville military community comes together, uniting under one flag and praying that soldiers return safely. It's on the hearts and minds of those living here.

"Not only do you feel it in the business, but if you go to church in the community or our schools...parents are leaving. It's just hard. It's like a scar almost," said Windham. "I have a lot of friends over there you know? I miss them."

It is something military spouse Katrina Powers can't tune out. Her husband is a Green Beret deployed on a separate mission, but she's watching as hundreds more Fort Bragg soldiers deploy to Europe leaving their families behind with no line of communication.

"I try to not watch the news, but it's everywhere right now so I can't avoid it," said Powers. "We all have our iPhones. We know our husbands are at our fingertips, but that is not the case. That has to be really scary. I cannot imagine that at all."

While the mission remains for those soldiers traveling to Europe, so does the mission at Mission BBQ.

"This is a real safe haven for military. Military spouses. They can come in. The patches on the wall. The pictures on the wall," Windham said.