"I would have to say it's probably tougher staying back," says Derek Chenette. "I am probably more aware than the average spouse who stays behind when their spouse deploys on operations, which is good and bad. Good, because I understand much better what it is that she is doing over there. Also bad, because I understand much better what it is that she is doing over there."

During the seven-month deployment, the producers follow the families left in Edmonton as well as the soldiers in Afghanistan. There are tragedies at home as well as in the field — this deployment includes August 3, 2006, when four Canadian soldiers were killed and ten injured.

As a glimpse into the family side of military life, Homefront serves as a reminder of the often unacknowledged stress, strength, and fear of those left at home. However, one hour is a very short time to get to know five families and I found that the documentary left me wanting to know more. There is a feeling that the documentary sometimes just skims the surface of what must be extremely complex emotions. Perhaps this is merely a reflection of the "brave faces" put on by those involved; maybe it is a protective instinct towards those who are already being asked to make these sacrifices. Either way, there are times that I wished we could get a little closer, delve a little deeper into the feelings of the families in Edmonton and Afghanistan. The program's strongest moments, without a doubt, are those when that emotion is at the surface.

Quibbles aside, Homefront is an interesting glimpse into the oft-forgotten private lives of Canada's military families. As such, it is relevant and important to our understanding of ongoing conflicts and what it is that we are really asking when we deploy our soldiers.

Homefront airs as part of the Global Currents series on Global Television, Saturday, March 10 at 7pm.