Photo By Kimberly Hackbarth | Lt. Col. Issac Gipson and Command Sgt. Maj. Micheal Leach, the command team for 4th...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas – Approximately 480 Soldiers with 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 69th ADA Brigade returned to their home station, here, Aug. 19 and 21, after a yearlong deployment to Southwest Asia.
During the homecoming ceremony on Aug. 21, the battalion commander and command sergeant major unfurled the battalion colors, symbolizing the official return of all their Soldiers stateside.
The command team cased the same colors Aug. 6, 2014, and deployed later that month.
Over the year, Soldiers of the battalion provided air missile defense coverage over critical assets in the U.S. Army Central Command area of operations.
Though separated, many Soldiers and their families were able to keep in touch through technology.
Video messaging technology allowed Spc. Epifanio Ramirez, a Soldier with 4th Bn., 5th ADA Regt., 69th ADA Bde., to witness the birth of his son, Izaiah, on Valentine’s Day.
“It helped out a lot,” he said. “It made me feel like I was home even while being away.”
Ramirez’s wife, Raylyn, said communicating with him through video messaging technology was a big part of their everyday life.
“It kind of worked out because when (Izaiah) was first born, he was awake at night and it was daytime (at Ramirez’s location) so … at least he was able to see his dad,” she said.
Raylyn said Izaiah knew when he saw her cell phone that he would see his father.
“Whenever we’re (on video chat) he knows his dad and he starts smiling,” said Raylyn.
Ramirez met his son for the first time in person at the homecoming ceremony on Aug. 19.
The first thing he thought upon meeting Izaiah was how much his son had grown, he said.
“(I also thought about) how much time I’m going to spend with him to try to make up for the time I’ve missed,” he added.
Though it was hard being away from her husband for a year, especially as a new mother, Raylyn said she was strong enough to do it.
“I’m happy that my husband is doing what he’s doing for our country,” Raylyn said. “It’s hard for him not being home, but I totally understand and I’m very grateful.”
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2015 13:59 |
| Story ID: | 174194 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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