Homefront Magazine Issue July 2012 Pages 21-40

Port City Pirates & Ghosts Learn how to sword fight, help load and fire a working cannon, and hear some of the areas scariest ghost stories in a fun-filled tour in-side an authentic, haunted historic building. www.portcitytourcompany.com/moreheadcitypiratesghosts

The History Place Research your full family tree at this museum and find out who might be a long-lost relative.www.thehistoryplace.org

Wayne County Museum

At this museum, you can find numerous objects illustrating the history, science and cultural heri-tage of Wayne County and central eastern North Carolina.www.waynecountyhistoricalnc.org

Paramount TheatreThe theater offers a vast array of performing arts including ballet, dramatic and musical theater, gym-nastics and live concerts. This state-of-the-art facility hosts a 500-seat auditorium, giving the audience an intimate setting to enjoy all the theater has to offer.www.goldsboroparamount.com

GOLDSBORO HAVELOCKSeymour Johnson Air Force Base Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Marine Corps Air Station New River

Lynnwood Park Zoo

This incredible zoo is home to over 80 animal exhibits, with species including reptiles, birds, mammals, and more.www.lynnwoodparkzoo.com

Equine Country USAThis horse facility offers boarding, riding lessons, wagon rides and trail rides perfect for your young cowgirl or cowboy!www.equinecountryusa.com

J ACKSONV I L L EMarine Corps Air Station

Cherry Point

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north Car

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CampLejeu

ne

Greetings fromHistory, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling

Greetings fr

om

Home to the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Elizabeth City

The Harbor of Hospitality

Elizabeth City

Jacksonville

Fayetteville

Goldsboro

Havelock

Graphics by Cece Pascual

21JULY 2012 |

Joining Forces

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are encouraging Americans to step up to support and honor military families.

BY MAGGIE CAGNEY Photo by Lawrence Jackson

23JULY 2012 |

ast year on Thanksgiving, Army wife Jessica Allen received an unexpected call a phone call from First

Lady Michelle Obama. She was calling to thank Allen not only for her husbands service to the coun-try, but also for her own service as a military wife and mother.

You are amazing, Obama said during the phone call.

You are the kind of example and the story we want to make sure that all of America hears and knows about, because in addition to man-aging your family, we understand that you are also a super support system to other military families, walking people through the emo-tional process, she continued.

On Jan. 22, 2011, while in the Zhari district of Afghanistan on a dismounted patrol, Allens husband, Staff Sergeant Chaz Allen, stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). He instantly lost both legs and broke his elbow.

An IED doesnt just hurt one person, it hurts all of us, Jessica Al-len says. But thank God for medical technology. Legs can be replaced.

It was only his legs it could have been his life.The phone call to Allen is just

one example of the ways in which the national initiative Joining Forces is reaching military families across the country.

On April 12, 2011, Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and Michelle Obama

launched Joining Forces, an initia-tive that provides ways in which Americans can step up and lend a helping hand to military families who are challenged daily.

The initiative aims to educate, challenge, and spark action from all sectors of our society citizens, communities, businesses, nonprof-its, faith-based institutions, philan-thropic organizations, and govern-ment to ensure military families have the support they have earned, according to Joining Forces web-site, JoiningForces.gov.

Military families are confronted with challenges every day. It could be something as simple as finding a baby sitter while the stay-at-home military spouse goes to a doctors appointment. Or it could be more difficult, like having to switch jobs several times a year because of a partners deployment. Whatever the difficulty, Joining Forces aims to bridge the gap between military families and Americans, encour-aging individuals outside of the military community to give back.

After her husbands injury, Al-len became more involved in the military community, reaching out to men, women and children near and far.

Her blog, The War of a Wound-ed Warrior Wife, has become a resource for many followers. Whether it be an inspirational post after her husband took his first steps on March 21, 2011, or an in-formative post on how to approach

a wounded warrior appropriately, she is always trying to find ways to encourage and enlighten those in the military community.

Through my blog, I have met and helped so many families, Allen says. I want other people to know they are not alone, whether its your husband or son being deployed, there are other people out there in the same boat, paddling along.

Which is exactly the mission of Joining Forces to help members of military families know they have the support of the American public.

A military life means living in increments taking one day, one deployment, at a time. Members of the military are confronted with issues involving physical training, separation and more often than not, the threat of death.

Yet the battle on the home-front can be just as painful. There is the constant worrying about a deployed spouse; the difficulty of being forced to relocate and start over again; and the distance a spouse may feel, not only when his or her partner is serving, but also when the partner returns. Joining Forces is not just about healing those wounds, whether physical or emotional. Its also about providing some sense of normalcy for military families, helping them share many of the opportunities civilians have.

And for that, Joining Forces recently created the Joining Forces Community Challenge, a call to action for community organiza-

L

Joining Forces aims to bridge the gap between military families and Americans, encouraging individuals outside of the military community to give back.

| HOMEFRONT MAGAZINE24

tions and citizens who recognize the needs of military families and provide programs and services to help ease the challenges and burdens many of these families face.The White House announced 20

finalists on Jan. 23, 2012. After pub-lic voting and additional judging, the White House announced on April 6 five winners of the challenge: Our Family for Families First Founda-tion, Armed Forces Service Center, Defending the Blue Line, Give an Hour, Project Sanctuary and the City of Richfield, Utah.

One of the 20 finalists was HeartsApart.org, an organiza-tion in nearly 25 states across the country that helps families stay connected while their loved ones

are overseas. HeartsApart.org pro-vides families with pictures of their spouse and children, taken by local professional photographers, says Elizabeth Bloch, director of media relations for the organization.

The photographs are printed on waterproof, bi-folded vinyl cards, which fit securely in soldiers uniform pockets, Bloch says. This is only a tiny thanks in the face of what these families not only endure every day, but endure with a smile and with a grateful heart.

Bloch says the program is com-pletely free, and it includes a profes-sional photo session, hair and make-up styling and a CD of the images.

There is no end to the project just a commitment to continue to

serve our armed forces while they serve us.The mission of Joining Forces

is simple, as Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden described when the initiative was launched: Everyone can do something.

Whether it be helping throw a baby shower for a military wife while her husband serves overseas, or taking the time to speak with a wounded warrior about his or her story, a small act of giving goes a long way. Members in the armed forces and their families are doing their part; It is now time for the American public to join together to join forces and support and honor them.

Dr. Biden and First Lady Michelle Obama greet volunteers at the Warrior and Family Support Center in San Antonio, Texas. The center helps care for the families of wounded service men and women. Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Armed Forces Service CenterMSP Airport Food and shelter for traveling troops

HeartsApart.orgWilmington, N.C. Professional photography

for military families

Rocky Mountains, Colo. 6-day family retreat

for military families

Sacramento, Calif. One-on-one

psychological treatment

Canines for Veterans -Canines for ServiceWilmington, N.C. Service dogs for veterans

The LandingsSavannah, Ga. Military family relief fund

Joining Forces Community Challenge

Richfield, Utah Support for National Guard

Community Covenant program

Rebuild HopeMenlo Park, Calif. Financial support

for veterans

New Directions

Project SanctuaryClovis, Calif. Support for teenage

girls with parents deployed overseas

Sisterhood of the Traveling BDUs

The Soldiers Project

Nationwide programs

Tillman Military ScholarsEducational scholarshipsfor military veterans and their spouses

Our Family for Families FirstScholarships for membersof military families

Education Lifestyle/Families MedicalBirdies for the Brave

Outreach initiative inconjunction with thePGA Tour

Give an HourCoordinates free mental health services forwounded veterans

Trees for TroopsFree Christmas treesfor military families

Defending the Blue LineHockey equipment, NHL tickets for military families

Operation Wedding GownFree designer weddinggowns for military brides

GreenCare for TroopsFree lawn andlandscaping servicesfor military families

Operation HomelinkTechnology to connect families with troops abroad

Lukes WingsConnects injuredservice members withtheir families

Los Angeles, Calif. Program for homeless

and addicted veterans

Graphic by Kevin Uhrmacher

First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden created the Joining Forces Community Challenge in an eort to rec-ognize citizens, communities, schools, nonprofits, faith-based institutions, philanthropic organizations, and local governments for their strong support of military families.

These citizens and organizations have helped ease and alleviate the emotional and mental stress on military members and their families. To learn more, visit:joiningforces.challenge.gov

= Named a Community Challenge winner on April 6, 2012

25JULY 2012 |


A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H

Second Lady

Jill Biden

D r. J i l l B i d e n , w i f e o f V i c e Pr e s i d e n t J o e B i d e n , r e c o g n i z e s t h e c h a l l e n g e sm i l i t a r y f a m i l i e s f a c e a n d h a s w o r k e d t o ra i s e a wa r e n e s s t h r o u g h h e r i n i t i a t i v e

w i t h Fi r s t L a d y M i c h e l l e O b a m a , J o i n i n g Fo r c e s .

Photo by Chuck Kennedy

H O M E F R O N T: What made you want to launch the Joining Forces campaign? J I L L B I D E N : One of the best parts of being Second Lady is the opportunity to visit and meet with so many service men and women and their families. I am always inspired by their incredible service and sacrifice for our country. First Lady Michelle Obama and I launched Joining Forces as a way to encourage all Americans to recognize, honor

and take action to support military families. Americans are stepping up individuals, community organizations, nonprofits and businesses are all taking action to support and honor our military families. As a military mom, this is also personal for me. When my son Beau was deployed in Iraq as a captain in the Army National Guard, I saw how important the support from neighbors and friends was to his family. The small kindnesses shoveling

the driveway in a snowstorm or bringing over dinner can make a tremendous difference in lives of military families. That kind of support is exactly what Joining Forces is all about.

H F: What have you learned about military families? J B : Military families are incredibly resilient. Whenever I visit with military families and veterans, I always walk away inspired by their commitment to service, their

27JULY 2012 |

strength and the many ways they support one another. Regardless of the challenges they face, they are proud of their service to our nation, and they almost never ask for help. Thats why it is so important that we help the rest of the country understand some of those challenges and let people know that we all have a role to play.

HF: What do you believe is the prominent challenge many of these families are facing today? JB: This is a challenging time for many Americans and military families are often facing those same challenges while a spouse is deployed. One parent is carrying the day-to-day challenges of raising a family, children are often transferring to new schools and spouses are faced with the challenges of finding new jobs and possibly dealing with professional licensing issues as they transfer bases or deal with deployments. They are making tremendous sacrifices, for which we owe them our deepest gratitude. When the First Lady and I visit with military families, two issues come up over and over. The first is education. After 10 years of continuous combat, the lives of many military children have been marked with parental separation and anxiety about a parents deployment. But military children also have a unique set of challenges even when both parents are at home. Military children on average attend six to nine different school systems. Through each transition, they are faced with leaving their friends and adjusting to new schools and new surroundings, all of which can affect a students opportunity to

Americans are stepping up individuals, community organizations, nonprofits and businesses are all taking action to support and honor our military families.

achieve academic success. Another issue that the First Lady and I have heard about over and over again as we travel around the country and meet with military families is professional licensing for military spouses. Because military transfers often require spouses to move from state to state, this issue can be a real challenge. Military spouses move 10 times more than their civilian counterparts and 35 percent of spouses in the workforce are in jobs that require a professional license. This means that there are currently 100,000 military spouses that are affected by a maze of credentialing and requirements that oftentimes hinder their careers and prevent them from advancing professionally. Its happening to nurses, teachers, child care providers, accountants and social workers. Thats why the First Lady and I have made this a priority as part of Joining Forces and are urging all 50 states to pass legislation that addresses these licensing issues by 2014.

HF: This magazine wants to make sure that the content we produce is beneficial to each and every member of these families. As the mother of a son in the military, what content would you find most helpful? JB: In addition to covering stories that military families can easily relate to, I think it is important to highlight the variety of resources that are available to them. Raising awareness through community organizations, job hiring fairs and schools are all important ways to reach military families. We also want to make sure our military families know there are places to turn if they recognize any of the warning signs of post-traumatic stress or other invisible wounds of these conflicts. We should encourage families to seek help, to talk about these issues and let them know there is help and support available. No family should face those challenges alone.

HF: What future plans do you have for Joining Forces? JB: We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of Joining Forces and are looking forward to highlighting all the progress that has been made in the past year. As part of that, we are looking forward to recognizing finalists of the Joining Forces Community Challenge, an effort that is intended to recognize the many community-based projects that support military families across the country. Beyond the anniversary, we will continue to find ways to build on our progress and find more ways to support military families in our workplaces, our schools and our communities.

29JULY 2012 |

t began with a handshake agreement to join the service between two fifth-grade pals. And what became of that

young promise led one of those pals into the U.S. Marine Corps.

Corporal Meredith Brown, 23, was one of those two fifth-graders who knew from a young age that she wanted to be in the military. Brown grew up in Germanton, N.C., a small town outside of Win-ston-Salem. She got her chance to experience the importance of service during her senior year of high school when she signed up for Marine Corps JROTC.

Once I was in the class, I knew it was for me, says Brown. I loved the discipline, determination and drive that the teachers could instill in kids from some of the worst backgrounds imaginable.

It gave them a sense of purpose and a future.This sense of a future began for

Brown on Nov. 13, 2007, when she enlisted in the Marines as a sopho-more at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill without informing her parents. The other partner in the pact was already at the U.S. Naval Academy, preparing to be a Navy officer.

I talked with my parents about enlisting in the Marine Corps dur-ing my senior year [of high school], and they really wanted me to go to college, says Brown.

Neither of them are college graduates, so they were trying to set up the best future they could for me.

However, once Brown got to UNC-CH, she says she realized that if she wanted to pursue her dream as a Marine, she would have to do so at a young age, which meant giving up her education at that moment.

Once I was [in college], I didnt really know why, other than to ob-tain a degree so I could get a good job, get married and continue on that path, she says. That was not what I wanted to do.

Besides the desire of her parents, an unforeseen injury also stood in Browns way, causing her to fail the first physical for boot camp. Brown underwent back surgery in 2008.

While her parents thought that her dream of being a Marine was over, Brown had different plans. She went through physical rehab, took summer courses and prepared to take the physical exam a second time and pass.

In October 2008, Brown received clearance from her surgeon to go to boot camp.

Although Browns parents may have had a different future in mind for their daughter, her father encouraged her to do what she wanted to do.

Like any parent who loves their children, I was concerned, says Jeff Watts. But there comes a

time when they leave the comfort of their home and make a life for themselves.

Her mother, Beth Watts, remem-bers an email she received when Brown told her about her decision to pursue her dream as a Marine.

All I could envision at the time was her being on the front lines, she says. My greatest fear was los-ing my child. I will always remem-ber an email she sent me telling me that she believed that if this wasnt Gods will for her that he would take this desire from her.

From that point on everything changed for me, Beth says.

After deciding to drop out of UNC-CH during the fall semester of her junior year, Brown began boot camp on Oct. 27, 2008, in Parris Island, S.C.

After boot camp, Brown entered into the public affairs field in the Marines, where she was trained as a combat correspondent and broadcaster. When she graduated from boot camp in 2009, she had to attend Marine Combat Training (MCT) for a month of basic infan-try skills training at Camp Geiger in Jacksonville, N.C.

She began her training as a com-bat correspondent at the Defense Information School (DINFOS) in Fort Meade, Md., where she took journalism and broadcasting classes, as well as on-the-job training.

It wasnt until graduating from

BY MAGGIE CAGNEY

Meredith Brown knew from a young age that she wanted to join the service, but what she couldnt predict was where her duties would take her.

DINFOS that her real journey began a journey of about 11,000 miles from her small-town home.

On Feb. 6, 2010, Brown traveled to American Forces Network Oki-nawa (AFN) in Okinawa, Japan, where she served as a broadcaster, shooting video, editing video and doing voice packages for more than a year.

Brown says AFN Okinawa services more than 75,000 troops in Okinawa with English-speaking news, television and radio. Brown also assisted as disc jockey for the radio station.

Brown spent 14 months in Oki-nawa, a lengthy term that took a toll on her family back home.

Having a sister in the Marines can be difficult, says Morgan Watts, 21, Browns sister.

Meredith has had to miss a lot of important events in my life: She wasnt there for my high school

graduation; [she] has missed my last four birthdays; [she] wasnt in the States when I got engaged; and Christmas sure isnt the same when she is gone, says Morgan.

But Brown tries to keep in touch with her family in every way pos-sible phone calls, Facebook, email, Skype whatever allows her to be constantly updated with life on the homefront.

And with technology comes op-portunities, says Browns husband, Gil Brown.

One of the coolest things weve done in terms of using Skype is that she actually got to watch and listen to my brothers wedding, says Gil. We set up an iPad on the front pew of the church so she had a front row seat to a wedding in North Carolina.

Despite the miles that separate her from her family, Brown is there for them every chance she has,

something her sister agrees with.I know she is always just an

email, Skype call or phone call away, Morgan says. I dont resent Meredith for missing all of these things I know she hated missing them as much as I wanted her to be there. And if she could have been there, she would have.

I know she is living out her dream and making a difference, and that is whats important to me.

In July 2010, while she was serving in Okinawa, Brown was granted permission for an impor-tant family event that she knew she could not miss her wedding.

Brown was given a few weeks to get fitted for her wedding dress, say I do and spend a few days on her honeymoon in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., before returning to Okinawa. The couple was married on July 10, 2010.

The time at home flew by,

TIMELINE: MEREDITH's TRAVELSTIMELINE: Meredith's travels

Begins boot

camp in Parris

Island, S.C.

OCT. 27, 2008

Enlists in the Marines asa sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NOV. 1 3, 2007

Begins trainingas a combatcorrespondentat the DefenseInformation School

Graduates from

boot camp and

attends Marine

Combat Training

at Camp Geiger in

Jacksonville, N.C.

2009

Graphic by Catherine Sum


Arrives at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistans

HelmandProvince after

serving six months in

Jacksonville, N.C.

OCT. 2011

Projected date

Meredith will be

out of the Marine

Corps if she gets

a 3-month early

out; would start

school in August

JULY 26, 2012

Travels to Ameri

-

can Forces Net-

work Okinawa,

where she serve

s

as a broadcaster,

shooting/editing

video and doing

voice packages

FEB. 6, 2010

Marries Gil Brown in Germanton, N.C.

JULY 10, 2010

Photos cour

tesy of Mered

ith Brown

Brown says. It was as if I was watching a two-hour movie on someone elses life before it was time to get on the plane to head back to Okinawa.

Each day was packed with last-minute wedding details dress fittings, bridal portraits, pre-wed-ding festivities and wedding re-hearsals. Each event contributed to making Browns wedding as special as it could be.

Browns parents, sister, husband and his family did much of the planning. They all helped organize the event, and Gils mother, grand-mother and aunt made Browns wedding dress.

It took countless hours on their part, Brown says. I just showed up, tried it on and they made ad-justments. In less than two days, I was doing bridal portraits.

Browns mother, Beth, says they had to pull together the wedding in

a matter of weeks. We really planned

her entire wedding in about seven weeks, Beth says. Although the time restraints made planning stressful, it really wasnt difficult because Meredith is so easy to please.

Looking back on it now, Brown says the event was perfect.

Like I told [my family], regardless of how things went down, at the end of the day if Im married then it was a success, she says. The love and support showed by all my family and friends was encour-aging and greatly appreciated as [my husband and I] started this interesting, lifelong journey together.

Browns personal journey con-

Wedding

July 10, 2010

31JULY 2012 |

GERMANTON, N.C.to CHAPEL HILL, N.C.90 mi

336 mi

330 mi

371 mi

7677 mi

8007 mi

8007 mi

7976 mi

7290 mi

7298 mi

OKINAWA, JAPANto JACKSONVILLE, N.C.

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C.to JACKSONVILLE, N.C.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.to PARRIS ISLAND, S.C.

OKINAWA, JAPANto NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.

JACKSONVILLE, N.C.to HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

JACKSONVILLE, N.C.to FORT MEADE, Md.

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.to OKINAWA, JAPAN

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTANto NEW RIVER, N.C.

Merediths experiences have taken her all over the world. Shes traveled about 47,382 miles thats enough to circle the globe about 1.90 times. See how those distances stack up below.

tinued as she returned to Okinawa two weeks after the event.

As the months continued and Christmas approached, Brown received one of the best presents she could ask for a holiday with her husband.

My parents paid for my husband to fly out to Okinawa so that we could spend our first Christmas to-gether as a married couple, she says.

Brown commented on her holi-

day on her blog saying, Im not go-ing to say it was a fairy tale Christ-mas, but it suited us just fine.

A fairy tale that helped her get through her final months in Oki-nawa. After spending a total of 14 months overseas, Brown had a permanent change of station to Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, N.C., where she served as a military journalist.

Brown says the transition from Okinawa to North Carolina was a difficult one, and it was challenging for her to remember everything she had been taught as a print journal-ist instead of as a broadcaster.

But dealing with the differ-ence in fields wouldnt last long. After serving in Jacksonville for six months, Brown volunteered to serve as combat correspondent

Frequent flyer milesFrequent flyer miles

FORT MEADE, Md.to OKINAWA, JAPAN

SOURCES: worldatlas.com, earth-info.nga.mil

Gra

phic

by

Cath

erin

e Su

m


every month and a half.Meredith and I have become

very talented at playing things by ear and just taking it day by day, Gil says. I think that is the best way to deal with being tied to the Marine Corps.

Gil, 24, says he has known Mer-edith since middle school, but the two began dating in 2007. While she was in Afghanistan, he was finishing graduate school at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Gil says being in graduate school made the infrequent communica-tion easier, as well as their personal-ity types.

While for many this may seem unimaginable to go weeks with-out communicating with loved ones many military families must

deal with this struggle on a daily basis. But Browns family found alternate ways to constantly keep updated with her routine.

Because Meredith is a journalist, I search her name to learn of news stories she had covered and figure out where she had been, says Jeff.

And the occasional conversation always brings her family joy.

Every once in a while there has been that won-derful phone call when you actually get to hear her voice that is price-less, says Beth.

But for most military families, nothing can compare to the moment of being reunited with a loved

at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan. She arrived in Afghanistan in October 2011, where she was confronted with new challenges as a Marine.

One challenge she discovered immediately was the difficulty in communicating with loved ones back home.

In Okinawa and Jacksonville, she had access to Internet connection and was able to call, email and Skype.

But in Afghanistan, her ability to communicate with family and friends was limited.

Brown says the Internet connec-tion was unreliable, causing her to have to email home whenever she got the chance. She was able to call her husband once every two weeks

and her parents once

TO READ MEREDITHS BLOG, VISIT:insightthruexperience.blogspot.com

AfghanistanOctober 201 1

one when he or she returns from deployment something Brown ex-perienced again in March 2012 when she returned to New River, N.C.

After several months in Afghani-stan, Meredith returned to the homefront, where she began a new chapter in her life.

I am going to actually try to take the three-month early out so that I can return to college and get my degree as a history and economics high school teacher, she says. That would mean I would get out of the Marine Corps July 26, 2012, and go to school in August. The life of a young Marine is

always challenging. From the constant globe roaming, to the feeling of helplessness when miss-ing birthdays, graduations and engagements of loved ones back home, the journey can be tiring. Yet for Brown, pride in service always remained.

The truth is, I have never been more proud to call my sister my sister, says Morgan. I know what she is doing is making an impact in so many different ways.

And as Brown noted in her first blog post in January 2010 as she began her journey, the impact she is making will never cease:

I have decided that my journey through life is probably worth noting.

33JULY 2012 |


Graphics by Rachelle Branca

normal life is something that many soldiers desire but hardly ever get to expe-

rience. After completing their service in the U.S. Army, normalcy is typi-cally what they look forward to most on their arrival back home.

Upon return, many soldiers are forced to cope with the unenviable task of putting the pieces of their home lives back together again. But in the case of some veterans, even though they have served the manda-tory time, they feel that their service is not yet complete. They still yearn to be a part of the military. For these soldiers, the Army Reserve is wait-ing for them.

Jeff Schwartz was one of those soldiers. Schwartz was an active member of the military for five years, but upon his return to Waco, Texas, in 1985, after the culmination of his active tour of duty, he felt that it was not the time to end his affilia-tion with the Army.

I got involved basically right after coming off active duty as part

of the process of perpetuating my involvement in public service, Schwartz says.

After managing to secure a job with a Reserve unit in Waco, Schwartz had to learn how to bal-ance his dual life of aspiring lawyer against that of an Army reservist. One weekend out of every month, he was called to take part in monthly drills, which were made to emulate real-life scenarios that the soldiers could be faced with in combat. It is basically a months worth of work in two days, Schwartz describes.

Aside from the monthly drills, two weeks out of every year, reservists must join together to take part in annual training. Annual training involves the entire unit meeting once a year to practice carrying weapons, wear-ing uniforms, fighting in defensive positions and any other situation that could present itself in combat.

After serving in Waco for three years, Schwartz moved to northern Virginia in 1988 with his wife, Belin-da. He wanted to continue his Army

Reserve service and, fortunately, was able to find a job on Fort Belvoir.

Schwartz worked as a reservist on Fort Belvoir for four years before being promoted to work for a unit in Norfolk. During his time at Belvoir, his wife had their first child in 1990. Unfortunately, the birth of his son was occurring at the same time that the U.S. began increasing its involve-ment in the Gulf War.

Schwartz knew that if his name was called, he had to be ready to leave on a moments notice.

I wasnt looking forward to being separated from my family, but it is just part of the deal, he says. I think anyone in the military internalizes that there may be times when you are going to be separated from your family, but that is just part of what service is about.

When the U.S. began to deploy troops to Iraq, Schwartz readied himself for the realistic possibil-ity that he would have to leave his newborn son under the care of just one parent.

BY JO

NAT

HAN

LAR

OWE

Two Army Reserve families seek balance on the homefront

35JULY 2012 |

I know there was some anxiety on Belindas part because she had just moved from Texas to Virginia, and here I was, working as a reservist and there is this new war starting, he says. She was pregnant, getting ready to have our first child, and we knew that there was a possibility that I would have to go to the desert for some time. While I didnt necessar-ily think I would be going, I was also packing my bags, he says.

In addition to having a bag packed at all times, Schwartz also had to prepare each day for the possibility that at any time, he could be called into active duty. He made sure to stay in the best shape possible.

Aside from the fitness tests that were administered during his monthly drills at Fort Belvoir, Schwartz worked out every day to meet the strict requirements for reservists about

maintaining a certain level of physical endurance. In addition to staying in shape, he also had to make sure that all his finances were in order.

We had to make sure there was a will in place, he says. You need to have all of your financial ducks in a row. There is a certain amount of ad-ministrative things that the Reserve do on an annual basis to make sure everything is in order in case you have to leave.

But he admits that he was lucky. His wife was an accountant and was fully capable of handling all the bills and taxes in the event of his depar-ture. He was also confident that she could take care of their newborn son until he returned.

But he never had to test her abili-ties as a single parent Schwartz was never deployed as reservist.

However, there are members of

the Reserve who are called into ac-tive duty amidst living a normal life. While Schwartz was never called into active duty in his 18 years as a member of the Army Reserve, Douglas Dinon was.

Dinon finished his active duty military service in September 1987, and upon his arrival, he immediately decided to join the Army Reserve. He found a job at Fort Benning in Georgia working as part of a garrison support unit.

After September 11, Dinon knew that there would be a strong likeli-hood that he would be called into active duty. As a member of a gar-rison support unit, Dinon had the responsibility of standing up first to get the mobilization station pre-pared for battle.

As soon as 9/11 happened, our unit immediately thought that it would be literally any day at that time that we would receive orders to go to Fort Dix into full-time status to stand the mobilization station up, Dinon says.

And sure enough, Dinon was sent to Fort Dix, located in New Jersey, where he served from October 2001 to October 2002. At the time of his departure, Dinon was already mar-ried with three children. His children were in kindergarten and first grade at the time.

But Dinon was not worried about his wifes ability to survive without him. He was already married when he was serving on active duty, so she was accustomed to the military lifestyle. Dinon says that her previous experience with his military schedule helped to prepare her for the possi-bility of his absence.

My wife experienced four to five years of active Army time when we were just recently married, Dinon

Doug Dinon being promoted to colonel in February 2004 at his Division Headquar-ters in Fort Totten, New York. He is surrounded by his wife Mary and their three children. Photo courtesy of Doug Dinon


and Dinon admits that reintegration after 15 months was even harder than the first time. To help with the process, he planned a backpacking trip in Europe for the whole family.

We flew on a cargo plane from McGuire Air Force Base to Ger-many, he says. It was a great adven-ture for the kids, and I think it really helped with the transition.

Dinon left the Army Reserve in June 2010 after completing 30 full years of military service.

As both Dinon and Schwartz can attest to, joining the Army Reserve is not for the faint of heart. It is hard on the reservist, not knowing if or when he or she might have to relocate, but it is even more challenging for the family. The tension is enough take a toll on anyone, but for reservists like Schwartz, that uncertainty never came to fruition.

But many other families are not quite so lucky. Doug Dinon had to leave his family twice to fulfill his duty to the military. But he knew what he signed up for and, although it was hard on his family at times, Dinon would not give that back for anything.

says. She was prepared to take on the mission in the case of me being deployed. To go away was not really anything different, but going away permanently was new. We always prepared for it, but to actually acti-vate that plan was a little surreal.The plan was for Dinons wife,

Mary, to take over as the head of the household while Dinon was stationed at Fort Dix. While Di-non was away, she assumed many of his responsibilities.

I had two 6-year-olds and one 7-year-old, so that was a major hard-ship, Mary Dinon says. It was hard for me to be everything to the three of them, but once we got into a rou-tine, we were OK. The hard part for some wives is having Little League and events like that. You arent used to pitching the ball to your sons and that used to bother me, but overall I think we were OK.

Dinon returned in October 2002 after one year away from his fam-ily. He had the option to extend his tour of duty for another year, but he chose not to because he did not want to spend an additional year away from his family while his kids were still young.

Dinon admits that the process of reintegrating himself into his work life was much easier for him than reintegrating into his family life.

With me being gone for 12 months, it is not like I can walk back through the door and be in charge again, he says. At home, my wife

was so used to running things that I had to constantly remind myself to let her continue in that capacity. I have technically never really been back in charge at the house, and that is the truth.

But the reintegration process was not just difficult for Dinon. His wife admits that it was hard for her and the kids to adjust to having him back in the house because they were so used to the routine they followed when he was away.

That was hell on everybody, Mary Dinon says. He came from an existence where when he speaks, no one else does, but the kids dont act like that. The kids were small enough that when he came back, they would come to me when they needed anything and they would take their direction from me. That did not make him too happy, because he was used to giving the orders

It took a good long time, almost six or seven months, to actually start to feel like he was Dad again or be a real husband again.

Dinon was again mobilized on April 2006 and he was on active duty until August 2007. The family had to undergo the same process as before,

37JULY 2012 |

For military children, the world is their hometown. Heres a look at how

constant moves have provided them with an experience that few others will know.

BY CHRISTINA CLEVELANDPhotos by Cameron Robinson

In the early hours of most weekdays, while many of her peers are sleeping from hours of studying, Alyssa Gray is up participating in physical training with Army ROTC. Grays 5-foot-something frame may seem meek, but be-hind her perfectly coiffed hair and coordinating clothes is a soldier. Coincidentally, the uniform of a soldier attracted

her to military life. I wanted to be in the Army in the eighth grade, she says. I

thought the uniforms were so cute, and this was when they were still wearing the uniforms in green.

She joined JROTC that year, and by 12th grade was awarded an Army ROTC scholarship to the University of South Carolina.The 21-year-old is now a senior finishing her undergraduate

degree in international studies. After her May graduation, she will commission as a second lieutenant in the Army. She is leaving

39JULY 2012 |


Charleston, SCAmarillo, TX Little Rock, AK

Woodbridge, VA

Seoul, South Korea

Well-traveledAlyssa has lived in Asia and various parts of the US, moving five times since the age of 2. Check out the Homefront iPad app for

an interactive map and additional photos from our shoot!

South Carolina for training at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Ga., where she will be a signal corps officer working with communications and satellites.

She says her parents, especially her mother, love the fact that she knows what she will be doing after college, and she is waiting for her sister and brother to come around.

Most people out of college dont know what theyre going to do but I have a job; my mom loves that, she says, smiling.

Gray is not only a member of the military, but also a product of it. She is a part of one of its best known subcultures: the mili-tary brat. Call them brats, world citizens or proficient travelers, the children of the military have had vast, and sometimes fascinating, experiences that many kids dont have growing up.These experiences can be nega-

tive or positive. Either way, they are often challenging. This is because military brats

experiences highlight one of the biggest strains on military families: maintaining stability.

Grays father, Carl, joined the Navy in 1968 at age 17, and worked as engine mechanic on a ship. In the 1980s, he retired from the Navy to later join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he works today.

Since serving in the corps he has been deployed on several occasions, moving the family and Gray across the States and the world.

He was very strict and harsh, she says about her father. I couldnt date until I was 16; I had only been to a few sleepovers. If he didnt

know where I was, I couldnt go. It was always school, work and home for me.

Despite his restrictions, Gray says she enjoyed her childhood, even though she failed to realize at the time the toll the incessant moving had on her.

As a kid, you dont know why you have to leave so often, she says. Youre always thinking: Why are we leaving? We just got here.

Grays family now lives in Wood-bridge, Va. the last stop on the wide array of places she moved to throughout her childhood. She has lived in four states and one foreign country. She was born in Charles-ton, S.C., but at the age of 2 moved to Amarillo, Texas.

At 7, Gray moved to Little Rock, Ark., and in seventh grade she was off to Seoul, South Korea. When her parents made their last move to Virginia in 2008 after she

had graduated from high school, she left again for Columbia, S.C., to begin college.

Gray spent six years in Seoul, South Korea, on Yongsan base, and graduated from high school at Seoul American High School. The transition to the densely populated foreign city took her aback at first.

It was so huge and crowded, she says. People stared because they had never seen a black per-son before. They always wanted to touch your skin and hair.

But despite the initial culture shock for both her and the native population, Gray says Seoul was one of the best places she has lived.

I really loved it, she says. I hope I go back one day.

Gray also loves the military way of life, especially its structure and

Documents

Homefront Magazine Issue July 2012 Pages 21-40