thedrifter
02-25-09, 06:32 AM
February 25, 2009
Soldier has family plans after Afghan tour
By JAKE LOWARY
The Leaf-Chronicle
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan — Sgt. Kristopher Forchione has a definitive plan when he gets home from Afghanistan in a couple of weeks: to give his wife a break.
Forchione, 36, who was born in San Antonio, Texas, has been deployed to the eastern part of Afghanistan for the last 12 months with the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. He's been to other forward operating bases, but is concluding his tour here and is preparing to go home.
His daughter, who will turn 9 on Feb. 25, will hold off celebrating her birthday until Daddy gets home. Forchione also has two other children, ages 7 and 2, and his wife of 11 years, Renae.
"I'm taking all the kids to Chuck E. Cheese and going to the movies," he said, hoping his wife will be able to take a break and catch up on sleep.
Forchione once served with the Marines and deployed twice with them, but is winding down his first deployment with the Army. He said he joined the Army for the benefits to his family. Still, being away from his loved ones hasn't been easy.
"I hate being away from home," he said.
When he's not soldiering or being a father, Forchione is one of the biggest Texas Longhorns fans there is.
He has his opinions about the 2008-09 football season.
"(Quarterback) Colt McCoy should have won the Heisman (Tphy) and they should have played for the national title," he said. "They got robbed."
His family comes first, though, and he says they are proud of him for serving his country but miss him dearly.
"They don't like me being away from home," he said. "It's been tough."
He's also going to be living in a new home, at least new to him.
While he was home on his mid-tour leave, he helped pack up the house so Renae could move into the new home. He also took his kids to the Nashville Zoo and Beach Bend in Kentucky.
"I just want to tell (my family) I love them and I'm thinking of them," he said.
Ellie
Soldier has family plans after Afghan tour
By JAKE LOWARY
The Leaf-Chronicle
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan — Sgt. Kristopher Forchione has a definitive plan when he gets home from Afghanistan in a couple of weeks: to give his wife a break.
Forchione, 36, who was born in San Antonio, Texas, has been deployed to the eastern part of Afghanistan for the last 12 months with the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. He's been to other forward operating bases, but is concluding his tour here and is preparing to go home.
His daughter, who will turn 9 on Feb. 25, will hold off celebrating her birthday until Daddy gets home. Forchione also has two other children, ages 7 and 2, and his wife of 11 years, Renae.
"I'm taking all the kids to Chuck E. Cheese and going to the movies," he said, hoping his wife will be able to take a break and catch up on sleep.
Forchione once served with the Marines and deployed twice with them, but is winding down his first deployment with the Army. He said he joined the Army for the benefits to his family. Still, being away from his loved ones hasn't been easy.
"I hate being away from home," he said.
When he's not soldiering or being a father, Forchione is one of the biggest Texas Longhorns fans there is.
He has his opinions about the 2008-09 football season.
"(Quarterback) Colt McCoy should have won the Heisman (Tphy) and they should have played for the national title," he said. "They got robbed."
His family comes first, though, and he says they are proud of him for serving his country but miss him dearly.
"They don't like me being away from home," he said. "It's been tough."
He's also going to be living in a new home, at least new to him.
While he was home on his mid-tour leave, he helped pack up the house so Renae could move into the new home. He also took his kids to the Nashville Zoo and Beach Bend in Kentucky.
"I just want to tell (my family) I love them and I'm thinking of them," he said.
Ellie