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thedrifter
01-05-09, 06:20 AM
January 5, 2009


Irondequoit Marine called to Iraq as wife expects first baby

Ernst Lamothe Jr.
Staff writer

Julie Saunders has spent the past two months thinking positive thoughts. There's the opportunity to spend more time with her younger sister, Jaime May, and a possible trip to Hawaii later this year. And getting cable installed last month made her quite happy.

But none of those things is as important as having her husband, Kevin, wearing a white surgical mask and squeezing her hand in the delivery room at Rochester General Hospital seven weeks from now, for the birth of their first child.

And Julie doesn't know whether that scenario will come true for the Irondequoit couple.

About 55 Marines from a unit in Chili were activated last month and will report for duty today until at least September. Maj. Kevin Saunders will join them three days later.

Joined by military police companies from Minnesota and North Dakota, the Marines' next assignment involves traveling to California for training and then a March trip to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The unit will be activated for about 12 months, and families will spend time together from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the Naval Operations Support Center, 439 Paul Road in Chili. About 60 military personnel from the same Chili-based reserve unit left in 2007, ultimately bound for combat in Afghanistan.

As military responsibility is slowly being transferred from U.S. forces to Iraqi armed forces, Saunders said he faces his first tour of duty with excitement. His commitment to the military, along with a strong sense of service derived from his uncle's military background, makes him proud to help secure the largest province in Iraq, Al Anbar, in western Iraq near the Syrian border, for nine months.

But his enthusiasm is tempered by his reluctance to leave his wife of nine years, especially two months before their first child, Hannah, arrives.

"It's an opportunity to lead a great number of Marines from this area, all who joined after September 11. And they all knew what they were getting into by joining at that time, so that shows you the quality of people who are going overseas," said Kevin. "On the other hand, when I found out my wife was pregnant, a lot went through my mind and it's been tough thinking I might not be home at a very important time in our lives."

Kevin joined the military in 1991 during the first war in Iraq. He said he'd always wanted to serve his country and care for others, two qualities that attracted Julie to him when they met through a mutual friend six years later. After attending officer candidate school and then becoming a platoon commander, Kevin rose up the ranks to his current title of major.

Julie, whose due date is March 2, copes as best she can, combining positive thinking with practical expectations. Yet some days she can only convince herself so much that things are going to be OK.

"The days after Christmas were difficult and I just broke down because I started thinking there was close to a week left before Kevin would be gone," Julie said.

"I'm pregnant and my emotions are already multiplied by a thousand," she added. "I know family will be here to support me, but sometimes it's just hard to handle."

The situation is magnified because Kevin and Julie have tried to have children before, but Julie encountered medical complications. The pregnancy progressed well in the first trimester, but in November, severe pain and doctor's concerns caused Julie to abruptly stop teaching her sixth-grade class at Victor Intermediate School, three months earlier than she expected. If the military allows Kevin to travel back to Rochester, the couple say they'll ask that the labor be induced. But there are no guarantees.

"We have been married for nine years and we always wanted to have children of our own running around here, so we consider Hannah our miracle baby," Kevin said. "Hannah means Grace, and by the grace of God she is coming to our family. But I don't know if I am getting block leave to come back for the birth, so I don't want to get the family's hope up."

Julie takes heart in knowing that her sister will be moving in to the Saunders' home to help take care of Julie and the new baby for the next nine months.

"As soon as I heard the news that Kevin was going overseas, my first thought was I had to help my sister out and move in," said May. "My other older sister has four children, my twin brother has a child, but I have never been this close to the process, and I'm looking forward to being there for my sister."

Most of Julie's family and her best friend live just a few miles away, also in Irondequoit, providing plenty of nearby support. And for Thanksgiving, Julie may be able to take Hannah to Hawaii, where Kevin would join them. It may be the first face-to-face meeting of proud papa and daughter.

Julie has relished spending time with Kevin in recent weeks, painting Hannah's room beige and brown and just cuddling on the couch.

"I'm just thankful for any time that I've been able to spend with him," she said. "The silver linings help a bit. There's been plenty of tears, but all I can do is take it one day at a time."

ELAMOTHE@DemocratandChronicle.com

Ellie