Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Sullivan | Spc. William R. Holloway of Munford, Tenn., Pfc. Michael Adkins, of Berea, Ky., and...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas - When the soldiers of the 125th Transportation Company out of Lexington, Ky., deploy to Afghanistan, they will face life and death situations on the battlefield, while dealing with similar issues at home.
For example, Sgt. Kellie Eversole, from Centerville, Ohio, has a father facing congestive heart failure. Eversole received a Red Cross letter early in the training cycle requiring her to return home. Her father had stopped breathing three times, and later they had to put him on a ventilator. Luckily she has been able to see him recover. She said the only thing that’s changed with her training is that she must carry a cell phone with her at all times.
“I talked to him last night and he promised me he wasn’t going to die while I was gone,” said Eversole, a team leader with the 125th.
Even death hasn’t shaken the focus of these soldiers. Staff Sgt. Michael Thompson, squad leader of second platoon, recently lost his grandfather in a car wreck. Michael says the two were close, but he’s still looking forward to his third tour.
“His passing didn’t really affect my outlook - it’s pretty much the same. We’re going to war. We need to train. Get our mindset on the war,” said Thompson.
“I’m sad, you know. He was my grandfather. But I guess he was ready to go so he went.”
There have been hard times, but there will also be times of joy.
Three soldiers have children that will be born during their deployment. The executive officer, 1st Lt. Derrik Duff, from Hazard, Ky., is due to welcome his first daughter, Ava, Feb. 16. This will also be his first deployment. Despite the pressure, Duff’s focus is on getting his soldiers home safe.
“I wish I could be at home, but it won’t take away from my duties with my unit,” Duff said. “When everybody is back a year from now, then I’ll be good.”
The company’s new commander, Capt. Maurice Haygood said in spite of having Soldiers from 10 different states in the unit, they are quickly coming together as a team. One of Haygood’s first moves as the commander was to hold a three-week annual training to supplement their training at Fort Hood. Colonel Robert Haste, the commander of the 38th Regional Support Group, said the unit’s cohesion was greatly helped by Haygood’s decision.
“You have to form a team. That was part of the brilliance of Captain Haygood’s plan to take the soldiers to AT,” said Haste, a native of Germantown, Tn.
“It was a good learn time where we could come in, get used to our platoon, get used to the personalities, and kind of mesh,” said Duff.
The plan is working. When these soldiers have needed their comrades the most, their friends have stepped up.
“My battle buddy, she stayed with me all day Saturday while I had to process through the Red Cross to go on emergency leave,” said Eversole.
Their families back home have been supporting them as well. Even though she’s pregnant and juggling a job as a schoolteacher, Duff said his wife is there for him.
“I don’t know what I’d do without her,” he said. “I won’t lie. It’s rough. But we’re getting through it. She completely supports what I do.”
In spite of long hours of training, the couple manage to speak to each other on the phone almost every night. He says she’s a strong woman that is behind him 100 percent, exactly what he needs during a time when his family can’t be his whole focus.
“As the executive officer, I’m like the commander,” said Duff. “Everyone is under my umbrella. So I’m looking out for everybody and all the families that I promised to bring them back to.”
One thing is clear. The soldiers of the 125th Transportation Company are ready to face life and death together, home and away.
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 12.14.2012 19:41 |
| Story ID: | 99349 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 255 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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