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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Stepping off the bus at
Camp Bastion, Air Force 1st Lt. Jamie Underwood looked
around the near-empty terminal searching for her brother.
Her body was exhausted, but her mind was overwhelmed
with excitement. She feverishly looked around the terminal
hoping to find his familiar face, her eyes hid by a pair of
dark aviators.
Across the terminal, Marine Cpl. Tyler David stood against a
metal rail waiting patiently for his sister to arrive. He too was
anxious.
David hadn't seen his sister in nearly six months,
just before she deployed to Afghanistan. He was worried combat might
have “hardened” his sister.
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Air Force 1st Lt. Jamie Underwood spends time with her younger
brother Marine Cpl. Tyler David during a one-day visit to Camp
Leatherneck on Sept. 24, 2013. Underwood has been deployed to
Afghanistan since April and David just arrived this month. The
reunion is the first time the siblings have seen each other in over
six months. Underwood is an intelligence officer with 495th
Expeditionary Intelligence Squadron. David is an assistant patrol
leader with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. (U.S.
Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Corey Dabney)
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Underwood spotted David leaning
on the rail and clasped her hands over her mouth in an attempt to
hide her smile. She darted across the parking lot towards him, tears
rolling down her face. David grabbed his sister and held her close
to him. For a moment, the two stood there just holding each other
and smiling.
“It was such a surreal feeling,” said David, an
assistant patrol leader with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th
Marine Regiment. “It was very comforting because you don't expect to
see family or friends on a deployment. Being able to see my sister
definitely made this deployment worthwhile.”
Most families
are typically separated for months at a time during deployment;
however, Underwood has been remarkably lucky. Over the course of her
deployment she has been able to see several family members.
“My aunt and cousin are also here,” said Underwood, a liaison
officer with 495th Expeditionary Intelligence Squadron. “I haven't
gotten to see my cousin, because he is in the northern region of
Afghanistan, but I did get to see my aunt and baby brother which is
a huge morale booster.”
It is hard deploying out here to
Afghanistan because you are so far away from home with no family and
friends to help you cope with anything, said Underwood. She added
being able to see her family is like bringing a little piece of home
with her.
Since it was such a unique situation, both of their
respective units encouraged them to meet and spend time with one
another.
“I can't thank my commanders enough for giving me
the opportunity to hang out with my little brother,” said Underwood.
“They told me they would do everything in their power to ensure I
got to meet up with my brother here, and that means a lot to me.”
David said he was also thankful to his command for giving him a
chance to spend time with his sister before he moved to his forward
operating base.
“I couldn't think of a better way to begin
my deployment,” David said. “I thought I wouldn't be able to see my
sister until I came back from Afghanistan. It just made everything
that much easier.”
By USMC Cpl. Corey Dabney
Provided
through a target="_blank" href="http://www.dvidshub.net">DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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