A Family that deploys together, stays together

Courtesy Photo | Heather and Joshua Bridwell deployed shortly after their marriage in Virginia. Joshua is now in Iraq serving as an infantryman with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment and Heather is an intelligence analyst in Kuwait with Company F, 429th Brigade Support Battalion.  

01.23.2008

Courtesy Story

116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

Spc. Jason C. Kemp
3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, Public Affairs Office

Military personnel deploy and have to leave their loved ones behind in the States all the time. It is a common occurrence these days. The Bridwells however, both deployed at the same time; each headed to a different country in the Middle East.

Spc. Joshua M. Bridwell, a Bassett, Va., native, and Spc. Heather M. Bridwell, a Charlottesville, Va., native, met in May 2006, after Heather had completed Army Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, through an Army recruiter.

Josh and Heather were married on April 26, 2007, with numerous friends and family in attendance.

A few months after they were married, the Bridwells were mobilized from their home station of Fredericksburg, Va., for deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and left for Camp Shelby, Miss., to complete the three-month long process of training and paperwork.

While at Camp Shelby Josh and Heather were able to see each other almost every day. Josh left Camp Shelby headed for Iraq on Sept. 2, 2007, and that was the last time the Bridwells have been together.

Josh is now in Iraq serving as an infantryman with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment and Heather is an intelligence analyst in Kuwait with Company F, 429th Brigade Support Battalion.

"I'd like to think she is doing fine," Josh said.

"I miss him and think of him everyday," Heather said. "It's hard being separated."

Josh said his priorities are to be a Soldier first, but said he spends most of his spare time thinking of his wife.

"We talk often through e-mail and phone calls," Heather said. "He called me from Baghdad and told me he was buying me a teddy bear and that he would get me one every time he stopped somewhere."

During a recent visit, Lt. Col. John M. Epperly, the commander of 3rd Bn., 116th Inf. Regt., met with Josh and was asked to deliver a teddy bear and letter from Josh to Heather. Epperly was happy to do so.

Josh and Heather are planning on going on their rest and relaxation tour together this month.

"Due to the possibility of us leaving sooner than we expected we may be able to spend our first anniversary together," Heather said.

"I'm all for getting home and living the married life," Josh said.

Josh has plans of getting back from the deployment and pursuing a career in firefighting, for which he has volunteered as for seven years now, and Heather plans to continue working as a recruiter's assistant in their hometown.

• Date Taken: 01.23.2008
• Date Posted: 01.23.2008 09:16
• Story ID: 15699