Married couple deployed together · systems from my National Guard Family,” said Tamara. The...

Page 12 January 6, 2011REVEILLE (CS)

By SGT. KENNETH HATTENJoint Sustainment Command

Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD,Afghanistan - Overseas deploy-ments affect many married cou-ples, especially during the holidayseason, but two marriedMississippi Army National GuardSoldiers have found a way to keeptheir marriage healthy throughouttheir deployment.

Sgt. David Nelson and his wife,Spc. Tamara Nelson, both of the184th Expeditionary SustainmentCommand, live and work togetheras part of Joint SustainmentCommand-Afghanistan, based atKandahar Air Field.

“We’re still newlyweds; wewere married July 1st,” saidTamara.

“This deployment is our honey-moon,” said David. “Not everycouple gets an all-expense paidvacation to an exotic location likethis. It’s actually pretty cool.”

David works as an automatedlogistics specialist, tracking essen-tial food shipments acrossAfghanistan, and Tamara is theAdmin NCO (Administrative Non-Commissioned Officer) for HHC(Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany). She maintains unitrecords and processes incomingand outgoing mail.

David has served more than 12years in the Guard. Tamara has 11years of service. When notdeployed, the Nelsons both workat the Combined Support

Maintenance Shop at CampShelby Joint Forces TrainingCenter, located just south ofHattiesburg.

“I’ve been doing the same thingsince day one,” said David, “and Ilike to think I’m pretty good at itby now.”

Tamara said she started out as aflute player in the 41st Army Band,and she also worked as the unitlibrarian. She later transitioned toCSMS, where she worked as a pro-duction controller.

“I joined because I loved theband, and I soon discovered manymore opportunities and supportsystems from my National GuardFamily,” said Tamara.

The couple is now deployed insupport of Operation EnduringFreedom in Afghanistan, and theysay that life here is different, butsome things are almost like home.

“We keep busy during the day,”said Tamara. “It took a little whileto get used to the 12-hour days andwalking all the way to and fromour housing unit, but I really can’tcomplain.”

Both said that being deployedtogether is definitely better thandeploying separately.

“I’ve been deployed before, butit’s definitely different this time,because now instead of the platoonsergeant telling me what to do, Ihave all that AND the wife tellingme what to do,” David said, laugh-ing.

“Our command did somethingfor us that I can be nothing butthankful for,” said David. “We get

to see each other every day, we getto go do stuff together, and ourcommand has been extremelyaccommodating, and I’m reallyhappy about that.”

Tamara said that, during theiroff-time, they try to go out and eattogether or catch a movie whenev-er they have the chance.

“KAF is really not that bad,”said David. “We even have restau-rants and coffee shops here on theBoardwalk. It’s kind of surreal,though, because you can be eatingout in a nice restaurant, but every-one around you is in uniform andhas a gun.”

While they admitted that beingdeployed together has manyadvantages, the Nelsons said that itwas very hard to leave their twochildren, 3-year old Lilli and 6-year old Kenzie.

“That part was difficult, becauseobviously, everyone wants to be athome with their kids,” said David,“but at the same time, and it mightsound sappy, but everybody whoenlists does it for a reason, andthey know when they do it that thismight happen.”

David said that the children arestaying with his brother, Glen andhis wife, Daphne, and that they areboth adapting to ‘life withoutmommy and daddy.”

“It’s just part of the job, and itsucks,” said David, “and youmight complain about it some-times, but you get up the next dayand go right back to work again.”

Tamara said that it was hard forthe girls to understand at first,

especially, Lilli, the youngest, butshe added that they’re both begin-ning to see that mommy and daddywill be back as soon as they can.

“My baby Lilli had a hard timeat first because she doesn’t under-stand how long a ‘long time’ is,”said Tamara, “and you can showher a calendar and try to explain itto her, but it’s going to be a learn-ing experience for her.”

One thing that really helps Lilliis having her big sister Kenziearound to help her get throughthings while mommy and daddy

are away, said Tamara.“Kenzie is an amazing big sister

and she is helping take good careof her little sister,” said Tamara.“She is in the 1st grade. She had tochange schools for the year, buthas adjusted well.”

Tamara said that it’s tough, butthat she feels good knowing thather children are in good handsback home.

“I miss my children more thananything,” said Tamara, “and Ican’t wait to get home and get hugsand kisses.”

Sgt. Kenneth Hatten/Joint Sustainment Command Public AffairsSgt. David Nelson and his wife, Spc. Tamara Nelson, both of the 184thExpeditionary Sustainment Command, live and work together as part of JointSustainment Command-Afghanistan, based at Kandahar Air Field.

Married couple deployed together

By SGT. MICHAEL WILLIAMSCamp Shelby Public Affairs

One of Camp Shelby JointForces Training Center pro-grams received a prestigiousaward that sets them apartfrom the rest.

Camp Shelby Joint ForcesTraining Center’s SexualAssault Prevention andResponse Program receivedthe National DomesticViolence Awareness MonthProclamation for their dedi-cation and support to theSoldiers of Camp Shelbyand the Families who haveexperienced domestic vio-lence.

This proclamation willassist the SAR program infinding the help and healingresources needed for victimsso they will become sur-vivors.

To receive the award wasStephanie Dillon who is theSexual Assault andResponse Coordinator forCamp Shelby and she saysthat the office’s intent is toconnect battered women andadvocates across the nationwho was working to endviolence against women andtheir children.

“It’s an honor and privi-lege to receive this award,”said Dillon. “With the sup-port of Camp Shelby’s com-mand section, they help useducate our Soldiers dealingwith domestic violence andsexual assault.”

To present the award wasthe Mayor of Hattiesburg,Johnny Dupree. Dillon saysthat she felt noble to receivethe award for the office com-

mitment.“The honor of receiving

this award portrays howCamp Shelby values theawareness of domestic vio-lence and sexual assault. I’mglad that Camp Shelby isbeing recognized for all thehard work and dedication weput into the program,” saysDillon.

The Proclamation reads:In the 16 years since the pas-sage of the Violence AgainstWomen Act (VAWA), wehave broken the silence sur-rounding domestic violenceto reach thousands of sur-vivors, prevent countlessincidences of abuse, andsave untold number of lives.

While these are criticalachievements, domestic vio-lence remains a devastatingpublic health crisis when

one in four women will bephysically or sexuallyassaulted by a partner atsome point in her lifetime.During Domestic ViolenceAwareness Month, we rec-ognize the tremendousprogress made in reducingdomestic violence, and werecommit to making every-one’s home a safe place forthem.

Domestic ViolenceAwareness Month was firstobserved in October 1987.That same year marks theinitiation of the first nationaldomestic violence toll-freehotline.

In 1989, the U.S.Congress passed Public Lay101-112 designatingOctober of that year asNational Domestic ViolenceAwareness Month.

Camp Shelby receives proclamation forits support of domestic violence issues

Stephanie Dillon, the Sexual Assault and Response Coordinator forCamp Shelby and CSJFTC Commander Steve Parham.