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| John Althouse/The Daily News
Heather Shuford kisses her husband Capt. Robert Shuford just before he departed on deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as their son Aden Shuford, 6, clings to his daddy's arm at Camp Lejeune Monday morning.
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Semper Fi, Marines. Your service and sacrifices are never forgotten.
Almighty and Everliving God, we commend these Marines and Sailors to Thy providence, care and protection. Defend them from the perils and dangers by day and by night. Ever keep them from harm while in harm's way. If called to arms, strengthen them in their trials and duties. If, God forbid, there are casualties, suffer their faith to never falter. Inspire them, we beseech Thee, with the old stories of our past duties, of honour, courage, perseverence, tenacity, dignity, and bravery. Inspire in them that established and historic sense of the "band of brothers and sisters." Grant to every Marine and Sailor a strong and redeeming faith and an abiding conviction in Thy Command Presence...whether at sea, ashore, or aloft. Especially, O Merciful God, grant strength, protection and sustenance to the spouses and, we earnestly pray, the children during these months. These things we ask--with confidence and bent knees--through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord, whom with Thee the Father and Thee the Holy Spirit, we worship and adore as the one True and Living God, world without end. Amen.
24th MEU heads out for 8 month deployment
March 26, 2012 4:42 PM
Col. Frank Donovan had a reassuring message for a young boy upset about his father leaving on a scheduled deployment.
“I told him he was ready to go, this is what he came to do, and I told him he needed to be strong for his mom,” Donavan, commanding officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said. “He will be home soon, he loves you and he will miss you.”
Donovan ushered Marines toward waiting buses, hugged their families and settled down crying children as the MEU’s command element departed Camp Lejeune for an eight-month deployment on Monday.
Having deployed seven or eight times, Donovan said the ones who have it the toughest are those who stay behind.
“We are doing what we love to do … as a team we are strong, dedicated and we’ve got great skills. Families at home carry the heavier load,” he said. “When we set sail we could be responding anywhere. They don’t know where we are or what we are doing.”
The 24 MEU command element and major supporting elements will depart Camp Lejeune in waves this week for Norfolk, Va.where approximately 3,000 troops will board ships to set sail across theAtlantic, through the Mediterranean and over to the Middle East, Donovan said.
At least that’s the initial plan.
“Our primary responsibility is crisis response. We really are the nation’s 911 force wherever the commanders want to position us,” Donovan said.
The element, comprised of ground, logistics and aviation combat elements, will board three amphibious assault ships: the USS Iwo Jima, USS Gunston Hall and the USS New York, which will be on her maiden voyage.
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Navy Lt. Christopher Ketchie took the last few moments to cuddle his 7-week-old infant in his arms and kiss his wife, Caitlin, goodbye. As he wiped away her tears and he assured her he would be home soon.
“I’ve done it before, and I can do it again,” said Caitlin, noting this was Christopher’s second deployment.
With limited email and phone opportunities aboard ship, the couple pre-planned how they will stay in touch.
“We’re going to do it old-fashioned style: we’ll be writing lots of letters to each other,” Christopher said.
The letters will also be a memento for their newborn, said Caitlin, explaining that she intends to use them in a collage after the deployment.
Theresa Nagy said deployments were never easy.
She has already begun writing letters to her husband, Chief Petty Officer Thomas Nagy, to be sure he gets one every week.
“He’s missing a lot this go-round — his daughter, who is 19, is graduating. His son is 17 and getting his driver’s license. We have a 3-year-old, and he will miss our 20th wedding anniversary,” she said.
Thomas Nagy said he hurried to teach his son to drive before the deployment.
“And having a 3-year-old, it’s hard leaving her; the other two are used to it … the last time I deployed after she was born we used a micro-cassette tape to tape stuff for her. When I got home she thought daddy was a remote control device,” he said.
But after six deployments, the Nagys have their goodbyes down to a science.
“A quick kiss, quick hug and I run to the car and don’t look back,” Theresa said. “Don’t linger; just go.”
Contact Daily News Reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at 910-219-8454 or sulbrich@freedomenc.com.
“I told him he was ready to go, this is what he came to do, and I told him he needed to be strong for his mom,” Donavan, commanding officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said. “He will be home soon, he loves you and he will miss you.”
Donovan ushered Marines toward waiting buses, hugged their families and settled down crying children as the MEU’s command element departed Camp Lejeune for an eight-month deployment on Monday.
Having deployed seven or eight times, Donovan said the ones who have it the toughest are those who stay behind.
“We are doing what we love to do … as a team we are strong, dedicated and we’ve got great skills. Families at home carry the heavier load,” he said. “When we set sail we could be responding anywhere. They don’t know where we are or what we are doing.”
The 24 MEU command element and major supporting elements will depart Camp Lejeune in waves this week for Norfolk, Va.where approximately 3,000 troops will board ships to set sail across theAtlantic, through the Mediterranean and over to the Middle East, Donovan said.
At least that’s the initial plan.
“Our primary responsibility is crisis response. We really are the nation’s 911 force wherever the commanders want to position us,” Donovan said.
The element, comprised of ground, logistics and aviation combat elements, will board three amphibious assault ships: the USS Iwo Jima, USS Gunston Hall and the USS New York, which will be on her maiden voyage.
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John Althouse/The Daily News
Lt. Christopher Ketchie and his wife Caitlin spend a moment together with their daughter Camille Ketchie, 7 weeks, before Christopher's deployment departure with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. |
“I’ve done it before, and I can do it again,” said Caitlin, noting this was Christopher’s second deployment.
With limited email and phone opportunities aboard ship, the couple pre-planned how they will stay in touch.
“We’re going to do it old-fashioned style: we’ll be writing lots of letters to each other,” Christopher said.
The letters will also be a memento for their newborn, said Caitlin, explaining that she intends to use them in a collage after the deployment.
Theresa Nagy said deployments were never easy.
She has already begun writing letters to her husband, Chief Petty Officer Thomas Nagy, to be sure he gets one every week.
“He’s missing a lot this go-round — his daughter, who is 19, is graduating. His son is 17 and getting his driver’s license. We have a 3-year-old, and he will miss our 20th wedding anniversary,” she said.
Thomas Nagy said he hurried to teach his son to drive before the deployment.
“And having a 3-year-old, it’s hard leaving her; the other two are used to it … the last time I deployed after she was born we used a micro-cassette tape to tape stuff for her. When I got home she thought daddy was a remote control device,” he said.
But after six deployments, the Nagys have their goodbyes down to a science.
“A quick kiss, quick hug and I run to the car and don’t look back,” Theresa said. “Don’t linger; just go.”
Contact Daily News Reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at 910-219-8454 or sulbrich@freedomenc.com.
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