As Long Islanders spent Memorial Day honoring the men and women who died for their country, many people's minds drifted to those serving in Iraq.

Members of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division attended a Memorial Day parade through Freeport Monday after serving nearly a year in Iraq.

"I can't say it was easy living in a combat zone for 10-and-a-half months and being in harm's way on a continued basis," Mark Kimes said.

With politicians on both sides of the aisle sticking close to their professed points of view, residents discussed the conflict with similar tones. Some want to withdraw American troops soon or immediately, while others feel the Iraqi government isn't ready to stand on its own.

Regardless of one's stance, all showed their support for the troops. Almost 3,500 men and women in the U.S. military have been killed since the war began in March of 2003.