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FORT DIX, N.J. (12/21/2012) - The U.S. armed forces have been
deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom
for more than a decade. Service members rarely expect to be deployed
at the exact time as a relative. However, this possibility became
reality for Allenhurst, Ga., residents Lt. Col. Anna L. Rego, a log
cap support officer, and her son, 1st Lt. Harry Cambrelen, Jr.,
executive officer for the 359th Inland Cargo Transportation Company.
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Lt. Col. Anna Rego and family at promotion
ceremony for her son Harry Cambrelen, November 29, 2012. (Photo
courtesy of the Rego family)
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Rego's family has a rich tradition of members serving in
the military. Rego currently serves in the Army Reserve and
Cambrelen is active Army. She has served in the military for
26 years. Her son has served for 18 months.
“The
only thing I ever wanted to do was be in the Army, and when
my son joined the Army it was the best honor he could have
bestowed upon me,” said Rego. “He
made me very proud when he joined and I'm hoping my two
daughters Barbara and Heather follow his lead.”
Her
daughter Barbara Rego is a freshman at Georgia Perimeter
College and Heather Rego is a junior in high school. During
college, Cambrelen decided to join the Army ROTC program.
Cambrelan was commissioned in May 2011 from Georgia
Southern University in Statesboro, Ga. In November, Rego had
the unique opportunity of promoting her son.
“We
promoted him the weekend after thanksgiving. My brother and
sister were there and so the internal family was together
for the first time in years,” said Rego.
Her husband,
Robert M. Rego, is also retired U.S. Army and served 20
years on active duty in the infantry.
“I feel really
proud of my wife and son deploying to Afghanistan together,”
said Robert Rego. “I was a little concerned, but my wife and
son are well trained and know what to do.”
This will
be the first deployment for both Rego and Cambrelen. Both
mother and son are expected to be at the same base in
Afghanistan during their deployment.
Originally,
they were expected to serve their deployments in different
locations, but through fate Rego's orders were changed to
place them together.
“I didn't ask for it; it just
happened that way,” Rego said. “I have great comfort knowing
that God is in charge, and he will take care of both my son
and me.”
Rego's mission while deployed in Afghanistan
is to oversee the contracting support overseas. The group
Rego is deploying with will be going out on missions as
individuals. Her group falls under the Logistics Civil
Augmentation Program Support Brigade, which is headquartered
in Fort Belvoir, Va.
“During pre-mobilization at Rock
Island, Ill., the group had theatre logistics training,
which is our technical training,” said Rego. “The group had
a two-week course on operational contract support and an
additional week of hands-on training.”
In contrast,
the training the group is receiving at Fort Dix is designed
to reinforce basic soldiering skills.
“The training
we've received here at Fort Dix is basic fundamentals that I
feel has been effective and relevant,” said Rego. “Although
the training does not reflect our mission, I feel we can get
to theatre and protect ourselves and come home safely
knowing those skills.”
Throughout the training
period, the duo has been finding multiple ways to
communicate during this deployment, which includes e-mail
and phone. They've already been able to practice those
communication skills while conducting mobilization training
in different locations.
They have a lot of support at
home from family members, but their biggest support is her
husband.
He had a little advice for other families
experiencing a multiple family member deployment.
“Keep faith and send them care packages, Skype, email and
tell them you love them,” said Robert Rego.
By Army Sgt. Ashley Bell
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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