Spc. Charles Ford’s first deployment to Iraq nearly cost him his marriage. He and his wife weren’t ready for the strain it put on their relationship, and it took time for them to recover when he came home in 2009.
Now they’re gearing up for Ford’s second mission – this time to Afghanistan – and they’re arming themselves with resources that will help them cope with 12 months apart.
“Not only am I getting ready for the deployment, I have to get my sons ready,” Ford, 22, said.
He and his wife, Vanessa, took three of their four boys to a deployment expo Tuesday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, held for the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The couple signed up for child care services and learned about programs the base offers to the families of deployed soldiers.
His brigade of nearly 3,500 Stryker soldiers is due to leave for Afghanistan in December. It’s the base’s first major deployment since 18,000 service members went to Iraq and Afghanistan in the spring and summer of 2009.
Jo Dempsey, Lewis-McChord’s family services program director, said the base aims to put together a similar one-stop event every time a major unit departs. Soldiers filed through rows of booths where they gathered information about how to sign up for free child care and how to get an emergency loan or grant, if needed, while they’re overseas.
“We want to give them all the information they need to get through this deployment,” Dempsey said.
Marjie Bryant, 26, of Lakewood didn’t need many pointers. This deployment will be her husband’s third, and his second since they had their son.
Past experience has taught her that keeping occupied is the best way to get through their time apart.
“Don’t do all your grocery shopping in one trip,” she said. “It gets you out of the house; it gets the kids out of the house.”
Another piece of advice: “Whatever you do,” she said, “don’t watch the news.”
Her family has been at Lewis-McChord less than a year. She registered her son for activities at the expo.
The Fords took their time picking up pamphlets and asking questions from service providers they met.
“People are really out here and saying, ‘Here’s help.’” Vanessa Ford, 23, said.
They could have used more of that guidance when Charles Ford deployed in 2008.
“It’s a bad combination,” Charles Ford said. “The Army takes freshly married soldiers freshly in the Army and they deploy.”
This time, he and Vanessa plan to do things differently. She’ll stay at Lewis-McChord instead of going home to her family and draw on the resources around the base.
“I really don’t think this stuff was given to us when I first deployed,” Charles Ford said. “This is better by leaps and bounds.”
Adam Ashton: 253-597-8646
adam.ashton@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/military
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