thedrifter
04-19-07, 09:12 AM
April 19, 2007
Couple prepares for wedding, deployment
By Lisa Horn
Montgomery Advertiser
>Sherteria Burke will spend most of her first year as a newlywed without her husband. She is marrying Marine Cpl. Jerrell McKay on Saturday, less than a month before the Montgomery Marine Reservist returns to Iraq for his second deployment.
McKay, an infantryman with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division, will be doing foot and vehicle patrols -- one of the war's most dangerous jobs. But they never considered postponing the wedding after learning about the assignment.
"We always knew I was going to get activated but I never knew when, and then when they finally came up with the date, it threw me for a loop," the 22-year-old Marine said. "I didn't want to put it off. You got to live for today, not for tomorrow."
Burke said that her fiancé's pending deployment didn't become real for her until Tuesday, when his new combat utility uniforms arrived at their east Montgomery apartment.
"That's when it really hit me," said Burke, a night supervisor at Glovis MVP, a Hyundai contractor.
She said fellow Marine spouse Elizabeth Lawhorn and other friends and family will give her the support she needs during the next nine months.
But, the 28-year-old admits, she is confused about America's mission in Iraq and has been for the past four years.
"There's always been a question, 'Why?' What is the purpose?" she asked. "We have problems here in the United States that we need to solve."
Despite her questions, Burke said she stands firmly behind her fiancé.
He said he believes the experience he gained from his first deployment to Iraq will be valuable when he returns.
"What I've learned is always be prepared for anything, don't trust anyone and don't ever doubt yourself," said McKay, whose brother, Marcus, introduced the two at a Subway restaurant almost three years ago.
But this time he will face a new obstacle.
Leaving his new wife behind will make this deployment all the more difficult.
"It's going to hurt after awhile," he said. "But she's real tough."
Until then, Burke said, the couple is setting aside discussions about the war to talk about what their life will be like nine months from now when it's no longer on hold.
Ellie
Couple prepares for wedding, deployment
By Lisa Horn
Montgomery Advertiser
>Sherteria Burke will spend most of her first year as a newlywed without her husband. She is marrying Marine Cpl. Jerrell McKay on Saturday, less than a month before the Montgomery Marine Reservist returns to Iraq for his second deployment.
McKay, an infantryman with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division, will be doing foot and vehicle patrols -- one of the war's most dangerous jobs. But they never considered postponing the wedding after learning about the assignment.
"We always knew I was going to get activated but I never knew when, and then when they finally came up with the date, it threw me for a loop," the 22-year-old Marine said. "I didn't want to put it off. You got to live for today, not for tomorrow."
Burke said that her fiancé's pending deployment didn't become real for her until Tuesday, when his new combat utility uniforms arrived at their east Montgomery apartment.
"That's when it really hit me," said Burke, a night supervisor at Glovis MVP, a Hyundai contractor.
She said fellow Marine spouse Elizabeth Lawhorn and other friends and family will give her the support she needs during the next nine months.
But, the 28-year-old admits, she is confused about America's mission in Iraq and has been for the past four years.
"There's always been a question, 'Why?' What is the purpose?" she asked. "We have problems here in the United States that we need to solve."
Despite her questions, Burke said she stands firmly behind her fiancé.
He said he believes the experience he gained from his first deployment to Iraq will be valuable when he returns.
"What I've learned is always be prepared for anything, don't trust anyone and don't ever doubt yourself," said McKay, whose brother, Marcus, introduced the two at a Subway restaurant almost three years ago.
But this time he will face a new obstacle.
Leaving his new wife behind will make this deployment all the more difficult.
"It's going to hurt after awhile," he said. "But she's real tough."
Until then, Burke said, the couple is setting aside discussions about the war to talk about what their life will be like nine months from now when it's no longer on hold.
Ellie