thedrifter
12-25-08, 06:34 AM
Marine Cpl. Brandon Bardos is Home for Christmas
‘My husband came home safe and sound’ — Mrs. Bardos
By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
POSTED: December 25, 2008
KULA - Home for the holidays with family on Maui, a military wife and her Marine are living a special Christmas dream.
Alina-Sierra Bardos has her husband, Marine Cpl. Brandon Bardos, safely back in her arms from deployment to Afghanistan.
He was part of a California-based battalion that was the hardest hit while serving in southern Afghan-istan. A Marine Corps publication reporting it suffered heavy casualties during its eight-month deployment.
"Honestly, my and my entire family and friends' Christmas dream already came true. My husband came home safe and sound," Alina-Sierra said. "There are so many that they have lost this deployment, and I'm so thankful to have my Marine home."
She was so excited to be coming home to Maui with her husband, that Alina-Sierra contacted friends, family, even Maui County Council members to meet the family on Saturday.
Their flights were delayed because a passenger had a medical emergency, and her grand welcome home party plans were dashed.
But even a few days late, the California couple is ecstatic to be back at their childhood homes on Maui and being with their families in Kula and Kihei for Christmas.
Alina-Sierra's mother, Tracy Kalama, is also happy to have her son-in-law back from the war.
"I'm so excited," she said, holding back tears. "They are so young, but yet so devoted. We have so much to be grateful for. . . .We don't know the severity. . . . Freedom doesn't come for free. I'm so proud of him."
On Tuesday the couple played with their son, Kayden, 2 years old, in the living room of Kalama's home in Kula. Presents for Kayden were under the Christmas tree, and chocolate chip cookies sat on a counter.
"It feels unreal," Brandon Bardos said.
Having the same wish as his 21-year-old wife, all Bardos wanted for Christmas was to be reunited with his family and to see his son - who is beginning to talk.
Bardos, who is 22, said he wants to relax and maybe have a few more chicken katsu and macaroni salad plate lunches while he's home.
Being on Maui is a far cry from Afghanistan, where the temperature ranged from 130 degrees in the summer to 20 degrees when Bardos left earlier this month.
He is a specialized mortarman and a mortar section leader with the Task Force 2/7 G Company 2nd Platoon from Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Part of his duties while in Bala Buluk, Afghanistan, included training the Afghanistan police force and mentoring Afghan officers. Bardos is trained in the use of rifles and protective equipment and other weapons - including an indirect fire weapon in which a round is shot into the air. Comparing the weapon to a potato gun, he said it is used to fire over barriers that block the target.
During the deployment, Bardos said his unit lost 20 Marines, some of whom were "really good friends." He said they mourned for one day then had to move on with their duties.
"For a short period of time we were in Afghanistan, we made a big impact on their police force."
Now the Afghan people are safer, he said.
Prior to the assignment to Afghanistan, Bardos' unit was deployed to Iraq from January to September 2007, where his duties were similar - training Iraqis to provide their own security.
Proud of his service and the Marines' mission in the Middle East, Bardos said he also appreciates President-elect Obama's statements that he intends to withdraw combat troops in the next 16 months from Iraq.
"I think it's an awesome plan," he said.
Alina-Sierra said having her husband away was difficult while she lived at the military base in California. She only spoke with him once every two weeks, which she admits was more contact than other wives.
At the same time, she had to take care of their son. Alina-Sierra said she was fortunate to be able to visit to Maui during her husband's deployment.
"At least I had Kayden to keep me busy" she said.
Bardos has re-enlisted for four more years and will be reassigned to Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
He'll probably not be deployed any time soon, which makes Alina-Sierra very happy.
While on Maui for the holidays, he'll enjoy time with his family and will be able to celebrate a belated wedding anniversary. The couple was married on Maui three years ago, on Dec. 15.
Brandon Bardos attended Kihei Charter High School before getting his general education diploma. He moved to Maui from the Mainland as a teenager.
Alina-Sierra grew up in Upcountry and attended King Kekaulike High School before also getting her general education diploma.
The two were introduced by Alina-Sierra's aunt, Karen Butchart, and went on their first date on Valentine's Day almost five years ago. They have been a couple ever since, said Alina-Sierra.
"We're just happy he's home. It's very special."
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
Ellie
‘My husband came home safe and sound’ — Mrs. Bardos
By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
POSTED: December 25, 2008
KULA - Home for the holidays with family on Maui, a military wife and her Marine are living a special Christmas dream.
Alina-Sierra Bardos has her husband, Marine Cpl. Brandon Bardos, safely back in her arms from deployment to Afghanistan.
He was part of a California-based battalion that was the hardest hit while serving in southern Afghan-istan. A Marine Corps publication reporting it suffered heavy casualties during its eight-month deployment.
"Honestly, my and my entire family and friends' Christmas dream already came true. My husband came home safe and sound," Alina-Sierra said. "There are so many that they have lost this deployment, and I'm so thankful to have my Marine home."
She was so excited to be coming home to Maui with her husband, that Alina-Sierra contacted friends, family, even Maui County Council members to meet the family on Saturday.
Their flights were delayed because a passenger had a medical emergency, and her grand welcome home party plans were dashed.
But even a few days late, the California couple is ecstatic to be back at their childhood homes on Maui and being with their families in Kula and Kihei for Christmas.
Alina-Sierra's mother, Tracy Kalama, is also happy to have her son-in-law back from the war.
"I'm so excited," she said, holding back tears. "They are so young, but yet so devoted. We have so much to be grateful for. . . .We don't know the severity. . . . Freedom doesn't come for free. I'm so proud of him."
On Tuesday the couple played with their son, Kayden, 2 years old, in the living room of Kalama's home in Kula. Presents for Kayden were under the Christmas tree, and chocolate chip cookies sat on a counter.
"It feels unreal," Brandon Bardos said.
Having the same wish as his 21-year-old wife, all Bardos wanted for Christmas was to be reunited with his family and to see his son - who is beginning to talk.
Bardos, who is 22, said he wants to relax and maybe have a few more chicken katsu and macaroni salad plate lunches while he's home.
Being on Maui is a far cry from Afghanistan, where the temperature ranged from 130 degrees in the summer to 20 degrees when Bardos left earlier this month.
He is a specialized mortarman and a mortar section leader with the Task Force 2/7 G Company 2nd Platoon from Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Part of his duties while in Bala Buluk, Afghanistan, included training the Afghanistan police force and mentoring Afghan officers. Bardos is trained in the use of rifles and protective equipment and other weapons - including an indirect fire weapon in which a round is shot into the air. Comparing the weapon to a potato gun, he said it is used to fire over barriers that block the target.
During the deployment, Bardos said his unit lost 20 Marines, some of whom were "really good friends." He said they mourned for one day then had to move on with their duties.
"For a short period of time we were in Afghanistan, we made a big impact on their police force."
Now the Afghan people are safer, he said.
Prior to the assignment to Afghanistan, Bardos' unit was deployed to Iraq from January to September 2007, where his duties were similar - training Iraqis to provide their own security.
Proud of his service and the Marines' mission in the Middle East, Bardos said he also appreciates President-elect Obama's statements that he intends to withdraw combat troops in the next 16 months from Iraq.
"I think it's an awesome plan," he said.
Alina-Sierra said having her husband away was difficult while she lived at the military base in California. She only spoke with him once every two weeks, which she admits was more contact than other wives.
At the same time, she had to take care of their son. Alina-Sierra said she was fortunate to be able to visit to Maui during her husband's deployment.
"At least I had Kayden to keep me busy" she said.
Bardos has re-enlisted for four more years and will be reassigned to Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
He'll probably not be deployed any time soon, which makes Alina-Sierra very happy.
While on Maui for the holidays, he'll enjoy time with his family and will be able to celebrate a belated wedding anniversary. The couple was married on Maui three years ago, on Dec. 15.
Brandon Bardos attended Kihei Charter High School before getting his general education diploma. He moved to Maui from the Mainland as a teenager.
Alina-Sierra grew up in Upcountry and attended King Kekaulike High School before also getting her general education diploma.
The two were introduced by Alina-Sierra's aunt, Karen Butchart, and went on their first date on Valentine's Day almost five years ago. They have been a couple ever since, said Alina-Sierra.
"We're just happy he's home. It's very special."
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
Ellie