Johanna Nielson at the airport sending another of her servicemember children to Niger. Maybe Nigeria. Definitely somewhere near Japan.

BIWABIK, MN,— Johanna Nielson considers herself up to date on current events. The 54-year-old Minnesotan has good reason to be. She is a high school social studies teacher and has seven children, five of whom serve in the US military. She worries about what conflict will mean for her family. Still, she is getting fed up with learning the names of countries she never knew existed. 

“When I was a girl, it was ‘Russia this, Soviet Union that’” said a beleaguered Nielson, while assembling a potato chip, green pea, and mayo casserole for her church potluck. “But now you are telling me that the Ukraine hasn’t been in Russia this whole time?” 

Nielson’s oldest son, Anders, joined the Navy and his second duty station was Diego Garcia.