Photo By Staff Sgt. John Couffer | David Sullivan (left), the brigade safety officer for the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry...... read more read more
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COS KALSU, Iraq – The evening was late and the sky was dark when there was a knock on the door of his housing unit. He wondered to himself, who would be knocking so late.
Little did he realize who would be at the door when he opened it.
David Sullivan had to take step back for a minute when he saw his son, standing before him.
“I gave him a big hug when I saw him. It was a really good feeling to see him and that he’s doing well. It made me so proud,” said David, the Brigade Safety Officer for the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
David is a middle-aged father who still wears an Army uniform, but traded master sergeant rank for a civilian designator. He sports hair that is free of military regulation and dons no cover on his head. He is now affectionately known by members of his unit as “Safety Dave.”
It was during a two-week break from his current deployment that 1st Lt. Christopher Sullivan, a platoon leader with Battery K, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, last saw his father.
Christopher is a young, vibrant officer, who has a smile like his father, pride in his eyes and a big heart when it comes to family.
Christopher said his family is one with a proud military history. His family supported his decision to attend Texas A&M and join the Corps of Cadets where he then received his commission as a field artillery officer.
The chance of deploying was always in the back of his mind, but Christopher said it was still hard when he had to inform his family that it had become a reality
“Of course, it’s difficult having a son or daughter deploy. For us, we are a military family and my wife is a military brat also,” Christopher said. “Between [my dad] and her, they were tracking.”
David deployed later, but ended up at the same location as his son. They made plans to meet up while there.
Although his instinct to see his son was overwhelming, David did not want his son to get complacent by having family in the area.
“I went to his company to talk to his commander,” David said. “My goal was for him to stay focused on the mission first.”
David understood how busy deployed life can be because of his past experience in the military. But now that the two are in the same location, they said they will spend as much time together as possible.
It wasn’t too long ago when they remember sitting in the kitchen in his father’s house, carrying on light conversation.
Now they discuss work and family over a table in the dining facility thousands of miles away. For father and son, it is surreal.
“We ate dinner yesterday in the [dining facility], on a [contingency operating station] in Iraq, not something you expect to do with your dad,” Christopher said.
The two have plans to hold a large family reunion once everyone is home and safe. David is concentrating on getting his son home with his family first.
David said it is a good feeling knowing his son is on his way out of the country.
“As a father, he’s still my son and just can’t wait for him to get out of here. To get to the loving arms of his wife and his son; just get out of harm’s way, and I just want him to go home,” David said with a face filled with a father’s love and a somber tone in his voice.
| Date Taken: | 08.06.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2011 05:36 |
| Story ID: | 75686 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING STATION KALSU, IQ |
| Web Views: | 494 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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