Spc. Kyle Lovelace is serving with Company B of the U.S. Army's 1-26th Infantry Division in Afghanistan. "Viper Company," as it is nicknamed, has had some special attention recently. NBC's Richard Engel, imbedded with the unit on a mountain outpost, has filed several reports on "Nightly News with Brian Williams," documenting steady action the soldiers have faced as they engage al-Qaeda forces in the area.

"It's not easy to watch those reports," said Stephanie Lovelace, "especially the account of a sergeant who was recently killed in action."

With the unit posted in such a remote area, the family sometimes goes long periods without an e-mail or phone call from Kyle.

"He can call from his computer, and we talked often before Bravo Company went up on the mountain," she said. "Now it's much less frequent."

Kyle Lovelace graduated from Franklin County High School in 2004. He spent two years at Virginia Tech before deciding a hiatus would help him decide on a career. After enlisting, he took basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then went to Fort Hood, Texas, for advanced training. He's been in Afghanistan since July and is anticipating a promotion to sergeant soon.

"He's smart and a good soldier," said Stephanie, who teaches Special Education in Franklin County. "He's been advancing quickly."