thedrifter
07-30-06, 09:45 AM
Small group of Marines say good bye to families
BY JAMES GILBERT/SUN STAFF WRITER
PHOTOS BY JACOB LOPEZ/THE SUN
Jul 30, 2006
About 25 Yuma Marines said goodbye to their loved ones shortly before dawn Saturday and before being deployed to Iraq.
"I'm a little scared and nervous," said Tiffany Kranz of her husband's second deployment as she fought back tears. "It doesn't get any easier."
"We feel like we are doing some good," said her husband Cpl. Ryan Kranz, whose previous deployment was during the Iraqi elections in 2004. "It made us proud and everyone over there felt a sense of accomplishment."
The Marines, from Air Control Squadron 1, will spend the next six months in Al Asad, Iraq, performing various air control and administrative functions in support of the Marines' 3rd Air Wing.
"I really don't know what to expect," said Pfc. Demarcus Deboe of his first deployment, which is happening five months after marrying his wife Kara.
Carmen Schnieder, who came to see her sister off, was among a small group of people who had gathered in the parking lot in front of one of the base's armories.
"I hate these (goodbyes)," said Schnieder, who was accompanied by her two sons. "The couple of days leading up to the deployment are tough also."
Schnieder's sister, Staff Sgt. Christy Teschmacher, has been in the Marines for seven years and through many deployments.
"I just want to go there and get it over with," Teschmacher said. "It's the same thing we always do."
Teschmacher, who has only been stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma for a couple of months said she plans to stay in touch with her family as often as possible.
"She (my sister) even asked me on the way over here if I had remembered to buy letter-writing material," Teschmacher said.
The Kranz's also plan to stay in touch, but chose a more modern method of doing so.
"He just bought a laptop computer so we can instant message each other," Tiffany said.
While some Marines were getting their duffel bags ready for the trip, others just talked among themselves.
And although he was looking forward to his deployment, Cpl. Logan Gray spent the last moments he would have in almost a half-year with his eight-month-old son, holding him in his arms.
"It's just another vacation," the native of Grandview, Texas, said of his first deployment. "I'm going to miss my family."
"It's going to be hard being a single parent, but duty calls," his wife Candace Logan said.
Gunnery Sgt., William Gonyer, who has spent 15 years in the Corps, said his final goodbye to his wife and 5-1/2-year-old daughter Skyler moments before boarding the bus to leave.
"It's going to go by quick," Gonyer said. "You just do what you can to make a positive influence while you are there."
"I just want it over with because we want him back home," said his wife Chandra Gonyer.
At about 7 a.m. the Marines boarded a white bus headed for March Air Force Base in California. From there they will begin their 36-hour trip to Iraq.
James Gilbert can be reached at
jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.
Ellie
BY JAMES GILBERT/SUN STAFF WRITER
PHOTOS BY JACOB LOPEZ/THE SUN
Jul 30, 2006
About 25 Yuma Marines said goodbye to their loved ones shortly before dawn Saturday and before being deployed to Iraq.
"I'm a little scared and nervous," said Tiffany Kranz of her husband's second deployment as she fought back tears. "It doesn't get any easier."
"We feel like we are doing some good," said her husband Cpl. Ryan Kranz, whose previous deployment was during the Iraqi elections in 2004. "It made us proud and everyone over there felt a sense of accomplishment."
The Marines, from Air Control Squadron 1, will spend the next six months in Al Asad, Iraq, performing various air control and administrative functions in support of the Marines' 3rd Air Wing.
"I really don't know what to expect," said Pfc. Demarcus Deboe of his first deployment, which is happening five months after marrying his wife Kara.
Carmen Schnieder, who came to see her sister off, was among a small group of people who had gathered in the parking lot in front of one of the base's armories.
"I hate these (goodbyes)," said Schnieder, who was accompanied by her two sons. "The couple of days leading up to the deployment are tough also."
Schnieder's sister, Staff Sgt. Christy Teschmacher, has been in the Marines for seven years and through many deployments.
"I just want to go there and get it over with," Teschmacher said. "It's the same thing we always do."
Teschmacher, who has only been stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma for a couple of months said she plans to stay in touch with her family as often as possible.
"She (my sister) even asked me on the way over here if I had remembered to buy letter-writing material," Teschmacher said.
The Kranz's also plan to stay in touch, but chose a more modern method of doing so.
"He just bought a laptop computer so we can instant message each other," Tiffany said.
While some Marines were getting their duffel bags ready for the trip, others just talked among themselves.
And although he was looking forward to his deployment, Cpl. Logan Gray spent the last moments he would have in almost a half-year with his eight-month-old son, holding him in his arms.
"It's just another vacation," the native of Grandview, Texas, said of his first deployment. "I'm going to miss my family."
"It's going to be hard being a single parent, but duty calls," his wife Candace Logan said.
Gunnery Sgt., William Gonyer, who has spent 15 years in the Corps, said his final goodbye to his wife and 5-1/2-year-old daughter Skyler moments before boarding the bus to leave.
"It's going to go by quick," Gonyer said. "You just do what you can to make a positive influence while you are there."
"I just want it over with because we want him back home," said his wife Chandra Gonyer.
At about 7 a.m. the Marines boarded a white bus headed for March Air Force Base in California. From there they will begin their 36-hour trip to Iraq.
James Gilbert can be reached at
jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.
Ellie