thedrifter
02-12-06, 08:59 AM
Video link allows Marines in Iraq to see loved ones
By: BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer
VISTA ----- Bright-eyed and full of energy, 3-year-old Aja Ford of Camp Pendleton climbed over chairs, played with the blinds and danced with her doll Saturday morning as her daddy watched from far, far away.
Little Aja refused to put on the high-tech black headset that her sister wore to communicate with their dad in Iraq, but she and Alixandra, 5, loved waving at the small video image.
Huge grins spread across their faces as they watched their dad wave back. Their dad, Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Ford, is based with the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Iraq's volatile Al Anbar Province where many Camp Pendleton Marines have died.
Saturday's live i-Speak Web conferencing service, which was provided by Next Generation Business Resources of Irvine, was Ford's second chance to see his family since he deployed in August. He urged his wife, Karen, to get the children to talk more, to sing and even to identify the numbers on mom's Marine Corps T-shirt, but Aja kept getting distracted by all of the interesting things around her.
He asked what was wrong, and her mom replied, "She's fine, she's (just being) 3," with a sigh.
The computer technology that linked them for a roughly half-hour visit had some glitches and had to be restarted at one point, but the Fords and other families didn't seem to mind.
"The connection was phenomenal. I saw a clear face, and I haven't seen him in six months," said Jeremee Quijada, who drove from Arizona to speak with her husband.
Jeremee married Lance Corp. Mikhail Quijada eight months before he left for Iraq.
Some of Saturday's Operation Love Connect participants hadn't even met in person. Pacific Beach resident Christie Thiele brought her 3-month-old son, Grant, to Saturday's video link session. Grant's daddy has never held him and has only seen him once ---- during the first video link session at Christmastime.
For his latest video appearance, Grant sported a camouflage outfit and a pacifier declaring "I love my daddy." His mom was thrilled that he was awake and inclined to be cuddly.
"The first time ... he was sleeping pretty much the whole time, and then he woke up and screamed," she said.
Some 40 families were expected to participate by the time the two-day event ends this afternoon.
Gerald Kostecka, Next Generation's director of sales and marketing, said he would love to make the links available on a daily basis. For now, they're making plans for another free video link in May in time for Mother's Day, he said.
Normally, the technology is used by corporate business leaders when they can't travel to meetings, he said. In early December, Next Generation's president proposed offering it as a service for military families.
"In less than 15 days, we had the whole thing set up," Kostecka said.
Many Marines and their loved ones burst into tears when they saw each other on the TV screens that first time, he said.
"It was so intense for them," Kostecka added. "That's why they're coming back."
The company was assisted in this weekend's effort by the America Supporting Americans organization, the Rotary Club and the Vista Boys & Girls Club, which loaned its clubhouse.
Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at (760) 901-4072 or bhenry@nctimes.com. To comment, go to nctimes.com.
By: BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer
VISTA ----- Bright-eyed and full of energy, 3-year-old Aja Ford of Camp Pendleton climbed over chairs, played with the blinds and danced with her doll Saturday morning as her daddy watched from far, far away.
Little Aja refused to put on the high-tech black headset that her sister wore to communicate with their dad in Iraq, but she and Alixandra, 5, loved waving at the small video image.
Huge grins spread across their faces as they watched their dad wave back. Their dad, Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Ford, is based with the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Iraq's volatile Al Anbar Province where many Camp Pendleton Marines have died.
Saturday's live i-Speak Web conferencing service, which was provided by Next Generation Business Resources of Irvine, was Ford's second chance to see his family since he deployed in August. He urged his wife, Karen, to get the children to talk more, to sing and even to identify the numbers on mom's Marine Corps T-shirt, but Aja kept getting distracted by all of the interesting things around her.
He asked what was wrong, and her mom replied, "She's fine, she's (just being) 3," with a sigh.
The computer technology that linked them for a roughly half-hour visit had some glitches and had to be restarted at one point, but the Fords and other families didn't seem to mind.
"The connection was phenomenal. I saw a clear face, and I haven't seen him in six months," said Jeremee Quijada, who drove from Arizona to speak with her husband.
Jeremee married Lance Corp. Mikhail Quijada eight months before he left for Iraq.
Some of Saturday's Operation Love Connect participants hadn't even met in person. Pacific Beach resident Christie Thiele brought her 3-month-old son, Grant, to Saturday's video link session. Grant's daddy has never held him and has only seen him once ---- during the first video link session at Christmastime.
For his latest video appearance, Grant sported a camouflage outfit and a pacifier declaring "I love my daddy." His mom was thrilled that he was awake and inclined to be cuddly.
"The first time ... he was sleeping pretty much the whole time, and then he woke up and screamed," she said.
Some 40 families were expected to participate by the time the two-day event ends this afternoon.
Gerald Kostecka, Next Generation's director of sales and marketing, said he would love to make the links available on a daily basis. For now, they're making plans for another free video link in May in time for Mother's Day, he said.
Normally, the technology is used by corporate business leaders when they can't travel to meetings, he said. In early December, Next Generation's president proposed offering it as a service for military families.
"In less than 15 days, we had the whole thing set up," Kostecka said.
Many Marines and their loved ones burst into tears when they saw each other on the TV screens that first time, he said.
"It was so intense for them," Kostecka added. "That's why they're coming back."
The company was assisted in this weekend's effort by the America Supporting Americans organization, the Rotary Club and the Vista Boys & Girls Club, which loaned its clubhouse.
Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at (760) 901-4072 or bhenry@nctimes.com. To comment, go to nctimes.com.