Military families honored at State Fair amid Middle East deployment uncertainty

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Thousands of men and women who serve our country were honored as part of Military Appreciation Day at the North Carolina State Fair on Wednesday, the "thank you," comes as U.S. troops prepare to deploy to the Middle East in support of Israel.

U.S. officials told ABC News that service members at Fort Liberty have not been given orders, however, Fort Liberty said the 18th Airborne is ready for deployment whenever the nation calls.

For military families, waiting for news of deployment can be stressful.

"It is hard being a spouse and our soldiers are being deployed and stuff and being separated from them," Melinda Leach said.

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Leach is a retired U.S. Army member whose husband also served for 31 years.

"You got two little ones ... so they're missing their dad," Leach said. "You still have to go through the routine of raising your family and just be there emotionally and supporting them. It's a hard life."

Lamonte Stanfield echoed Leach as a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Gulf War.

"The family members are probably going to be concerned whether or not that that that service person is going to come back home, how long they're going to be away," Stanfield said. "God bless those individuals who are preparing and the families that will be home waiting for them."