thedrifter
06-23-09, 06:25 AM
June 22, 2009
Dad enjoys first Father's Day home from Iraq
By KELLY DAY
MUNCIE -- Thousands of miles away from his family, Dustin McIntire spent Father's Day last year in Iraq cooking out and drinking non-alcoholic beer with his fellow Marines.
He only got to speak to his now-2-year-old son, Cameron, on the phone, just as he had done throughout his time overseas. Having been away so much, McIntire, 28, worried his son wouldn't remember him when he finally returned home to retire from the military.
But when that day came just a week ago, he was welcomed home with open arms.
"Cameron just came running over to me," he said. "He told me he loved me and he said 'Welcome home,'" just as his mom taught him to do."
And on Sunday, McIntire finally got to spend Father's Day with his family.
As he played with his son in the water at Prairie Creek Reservoir, his wife, Carrie, talked about their reunion.
"(Cameron) just kept hugging him and hugging him for the first hour," she said.
Her husband joined the Marines four years ago after the two, who met in high school, were engaged.
"He said, ' think I should serve my country,'" she said.
And though it's meant that they couldn't be together, she appreciates his service.
"He has given up time we'll never get back," she said. "If it wasn't for men like him, we couldn't have what we have now: days like today..."
Dustin's official last day in the Marines will be July 10. Now living in Fishers, the family is hoping he will find a job repairing and maintaining mobile power units.
Now they just enjoy being together.
"I do love everything about (being a father)," he said.
And he's good at it. Carrie describes him as giving, patient, a family man and a hard worker. "He keeps us going," she said, "just with a good attitude."
Around Prairie Creek, other families also enjoyed the day together on Sunday.
On the basketball court, Robert Smith and his 14-year-old daughter, Misty, played a game of one-on-one, as his other children cheered him on from a bench nearby.
"I let him win," Misty joked after their game.
To Misty, Robert, and the rest of the family, Sunday was a special day.
"This is the first Father's Day we've all been together," Robert said.
The family cooked out and planned to swim after eating.
"We're going to be just out here all day long," said Karla Smith, Robert's wife. "It's nice when he has a day off that he can sit and play basketball with his kids."
Contact news reporter Kelly Day at 213-5827.
Ellie
Dad enjoys first Father's Day home from Iraq
By KELLY DAY
MUNCIE -- Thousands of miles away from his family, Dustin McIntire spent Father's Day last year in Iraq cooking out and drinking non-alcoholic beer with his fellow Marines.
He only got to speak to his now-2-year-old son, Cameron, on the phone, just as he had done throughout his time overseas. Having been away so much, McIntire, 28, worried his son wouldn't remember him when he finally returned home to retire from the military.
But when that day came just a week ago, he was welcomed home with open arms.
"Cameron just came running over to me," he said. "He told me he loved me and he said 'Welcome home,'" just as his mom taught him to do."
And on Sunday, McIntire finally got to spend Father's Day with his family.
As he played with his son in the water at Prairie Creek Reservoir, his wife, Carrie, talked about their reunion.
"(Cameron) just kept hugging him and hugging him for the first hour," she said.
Her husband joined the Marines four years ago after the two, who met in high school, were engaged.
"He said, ' think I should serve my country,'" she said.
And though it's meant that they couldn't be together, she appreciates his service.
"He has given up time we'll never get back," she said. "If it wasn't for men like him, we couldn't have what we have now: days like today..."
Dustin's official last day in the Marines will be July 10. Now living in Fishers, the family is hoping he will find a job repairing and maintaining mobile power units.
Now they just enjoy being together.
"I do love everything about (being a father)," he said.
And he's good at it. Carrie describes him as giving, patient, a family man and a hard worker. "He keeps us going," she said, "just with a good attitude."
Around Prairie Creek, other families also enjoyed the day together on Sunday.
On the basketball court, Robert Smith and his 14-year-old daughter, Misty, played a game of one-on-one, as his other children cheered him on from a bench nearby.
"I let him win," Misty joked after their game.
To Misty, Robert, and the rest of the family, Sunday was a special day.
"This is the first Father's Day we've all been together," Robert said.
The family cooked out and planned to swim after eating.
"We're going to be just out here all day long," said Karla Smith, Robert's wife. "It's nice when he has a day off that he can sit and play basketball with his kids."
Contact news reporter Kelly Day at 213-5827.
Ellie