Broadside Blog - Military Times

The family that deploys together, stays together

(Florida Natl Guard photo)

Here’s a story you don’t see every day. Three married couples in Florida’s 1218th Transportation Company (out of West Palm Beach) volunteered to deploy to Iraq – together. One of the couples, Army Pfc. Joseph James and his wife, Army Pfc. Samantha James, met in training and decided it would be better to deploy to the same part of the world than worry about each other thousands of miles apart.

“I’m a little nervous, but it’s going to be a lot easier since we’ll be together, and we have close friends going with us,” Samantha James told the American Forces Press Service.

Another couple, Army Pfc. Ancharad Shoon and his wife Pvt. Rashida Shoon, have similar thoughts. Ancharad said, “There will be less of a headache of wondering if she’s OK at home, and her wondering if I’m OK overseas. She’ll be right there with me so she’ll know firsthand what’s happening with me.”

Tough, gutsy choice by these Soldiers. Their stresses will be different than what most married couples experience when a family member deploys, but certainly no less intense.

They are our heroes of the week.