How nice that he still writes, even if it is sporadically. Think how much more fortunate you are than those with friends in previous wars, before the days of email, when they'd have to wait weeks or even months for a letter, and when phone calls were impossible in the field in most cases, so had to be saved for rare events.

Tell him we are all wishing he, and all our soldiers, especially he, Brian and others who are beloved of Pet Talkers, will stay safe as possible and come back physically and mentally well.