Photo By Pfc. Zackary Root | U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Benjamin Vonderheide, a battle captain, HHC, 172nd Support...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan – When a person pictures a typical married couple, what comes to mind? A husband and wife living in a big two-story house complete with a white picket fence, sleepy Sunday afternoons spent on the couch and Fido, the family dog.
They certainly don’t imagine a married couple living in a cramped plywood B-hut, or having to disassemble, clean and reassemble their M4 rifles, or taking shelter in a cement bunker after receiving indirect fire from enemy insurgents.
But for some dual military couples in Afghanistan, being married while living and working together in one of the most dangerous countries on earth makes married life anything but normal.
U.S. Army 2nd Lts. Benjamin Vonderheide, a battle captain for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 172nd Support Battalion, and Asunta Vonderheide, executive officer for Company A, 172nd Support Battalion, a dual military couple serving together at Forward Operating Base Sharana, deal with the stresses of deployment by relying on each other for support and companionship.
“There is nothing stronger in the Army, I think, than a dual military couple,” said Vonderheide. “It is positive in so many ways, and fortunately, the command climate here helps to foster that.”
The Vonderheides first met at the Leadership Assessment Course, in Fort Lewis, Wash., while still cadets who were attending college in hopes of becoming officers. While Asunta had no prior military experience, Benjamin had been a sergeant in the Army and was taking advantage of the Green to Gold program to pay for his schooling.
Fast-forward to October 2011, and they are both commissioned officers, married and serving together in Paktika province in Afghanistan. The couple can’t help but feel fortunate, despite living in the center of a country at war. They are some of the few soldiers that see their spouses on a daily basis while downrange.
“We really feel lucky,” said Benjamin. “The Army has the Married Army Couples program, and that gave us the great opportunity to live together.”
The Vonderheides both realize that other soldiers aren’t all as blessed. Many have to painfully endure 6 months to a year without seeing their spouse, which can take a toll on almost any relationship.
“We try not to... I don’t want to say gloat, but we try not to make it known that we have it easier than a lot of people,” added Benjamin.
While the Vonderheides enjoy being deployed together and working under the same battalion command, they make sure there is a distinction between work and home, carefully managing their relationship and job responsibilities.
“They really do a great job at balancing their personal and professional careers, and set a good example to other married couples serving in the military,” said Capt. Grant Thimsen, Company A commander, 172nd Support Battalion.
The Vonderheides try to maintain a balance between work and home. When the line between Army officer and spouse becomes unclear to co-workers and peers, they are quick to remind whomever that they are not those people with the same last name.
“I do get ‘well ma’am, your husband’ and I am like, ‘It’s Lt. Vonderheide’, because he is at work, and he is a professional,” said Asunta.
According to the couple, working in close quarters does have some drawbacks; they are the subjects of some good-natured ribbing from time-to-time.
Along with a few chuckles at their expense, living and working together in a war zone is a constant source of worry. With both of them being in the military, they understand the inherent danger of being a deployed soldier. In Afghanistan, there is always the potential for violence from enemy insurgents.
“I know that I worry sometimes because [my] spouse is deployed,” said Benjamin. “It’s the nature of combat. You worry about that phone call or knock you might get.”
Although concerned for one another’s safety while in Afghanistan, the Vonderheides take solace in each other’s companionship, while setting an example for other couples along the way.
“They are able to balance their married life and their job,” said Spc. Marquis Hall, a radio transmission operator, HHC, 172nd Support Battalion. “They are definitely great future leaders of the Army.”
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2011 02:02 |
| Story ID: | 79071 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, AF |
| Web Views: | 731 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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