thedrifter
07-06-07, 06:54 AM
Families Say Goodbye to Deploying Marines and Sailors
It was an emotional day for some military families at the Marine Corp Air Station in Beaufort. Aviators and support crews from two units said goodbye to their loved ones before boarding a plane for a deployment to support of the Global War on Terror.
"We're excited to do what we're doing, but at the same time, nobody wants to leave the family behind for a long time," said Mark Flannigan.
But this opportunity to see their loved ones off is something many like Carston Frank , wouldn't miss, "To support my Dad and say goodbye." But saying goodbye isn't easy - especially for the children of these marines and sailors.
"She knows that Daddy is leaving and he's working and that he'll be back," says military wife Rachel Mikolajczak. But this isn't the first deployment Rachel or her daughter Kirsten have been through. "No, this is the third one we've done," Rachel said. "She's 3 and he was actually on the Enterprise when I was pregnant with her."
And now as her husband heads into harms way and aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise once again, Rachel is pregnant with another daughter and can't wait till her husband is back home with both of his girls. "She misses him quite a bit but he always comes back, daddy always comes back," she said. "It never gets any easier, I don't know you learn how to deal with it. It never really gets easier."
But these military families say they just try to make the best of it. "We got used to it the last deployment, so we know what to expect now. It will be different, but we can get through it," said military wife Jessica Hernandez.
"We know we're about to embark on our next journey and he'll be back in six months and we'll be back here welcoming him home," military wife Laura Frank said.
And that's a day all of these families are looking forward to.
Reported by: Jaime Dailey, jdailey@wtoc.com
Ellie
It was an emotional day for some military families at the Marine Corp Air Station in Beaufort. Aviators and support crews from two units said goodbye to their loved ones before boarding a plane for a deployment to support of the Global War on Terror.
"We're excited to do what we're doing, but at the same time, nobody wants to leave the family behind for a long time," said Mark Flannigan.
But this opportunity to see their loved ones off is something many like Carston Frank , wouldn't miss, "To support my Dad and say goodbye." But saying goodbye isn't easy - especially for the children of these marines and sailors.
"She knows that Daddy is leaving and he's working and that he'll be back," says military wife Rachel Mikolajczak. But this isn't the first deployment Rachel or her daughter Kirsten have been through. "No, this is the third one we've done," Rachel said. "She's 3 and he was actually on the Enterprise when I was pregnant with her."
And now as her husband heads into harms way and aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise once again, Rachel is pregnant with another daughter and can't wait till her husband is back home with both of his girls. "She misses him quite a bit but he always comes back, daddy always comes back," she said. "It never gets any easier, I don't know you learn how to deal with it. It never really gets easier."
But these military families say they just try to make the best of it. "We got used to it the last deployment, so we know what to expect now. It will be different, but we can get through it," said military wife Jessica Hernandez.
"We know we're about to embark on our next journey and he'll be back in six months and we'll be back here welcoming him home," military wife Laura Frank said.
And that's a day all of these families are looking forward to.
Reported by: Jaime Dailey, jdailey@wtoc.com
Ellie