Posted on 12/26/2005 10:27:41 AM PST by Liberty Valance
Sixteen months ago, four Kerrville men said goodbye to their families at a ceremony in Fredericksburg and headed to the war in Iraq.
Two weeks ago, their tour ended, and the guardsmen returned to Texas and the prospect of Christmas at home.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Garcia and three colleagues from the Kerrville armory of the Texas Army National Guard — Sgt. David Geraets, Sgt. Jesse Menchaca and Pvt. Stephen Bell — were among the 3,000 guardsman deployed with the 56th Brigade Combat Team.
Now back at home, Christopher and his wife, Eunice, have been settling back into family life in the two weeks since the debriefings.
Their four boys — Shane, 17; Christopher Jr., 10; Joel, 7; and Samuel, 10 months, have been adjusting, too, to life with dad back home; some are finding it easier than others.
Part-time soldier
The call was unexpected for Christopher, who signed up for the guard because he was looking for some middle ground between the military life he had known for 11 years and being a civilian.
Eunice looks back fondly on their military life, which included two tours in Germany.
When Christopher got out, the family moved back to their home town of Kerrville, where finding a permanent job and being close to lots of family members were among the challenges.
Christopher found a job working with other veterans in the Kerrville veterans facility’s laundry operation, where he plans to return to work in January.
The deployment came at an awkward time, too, Christopher said. Eunice discovered she was pregnant with Samuel, who was born in February while his father was in Iraq.
“I don’t like to depend on anybody else,” Eunice said. “When he left, it was hard.”
Christmas 2004 was a solemn affair for the Garcias in their Kerrville apartment, knowing that Christopher would be shipping out just after the new year. “We didn’t even have a tree,” he said.
Happier holiday
This year, there is a decorated Christmas tree, sitting on top of Christopher’s Army foot locker to keep it out of baby Samuel’s reach.
Christopher Jr. eyed the presents Wednesday and said he is happy his dad is home.
Christopher’s battalion, a radio support division based at Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq, was charged with helping keep supply routes open. The military had computers with Internet access that Christopher and his colleagues could use. That meant the computer in the corner of the Garcia’s living room in Kerrville also was well used as the family kept in touch during the past year. The two Christophers even got some time together, playing chess and other games online.
Eunice said having her husband back for good this time means this reunion is going much better than Christopher’s two-week visit in April.
“I thought I wasn’t going to be used to him,” Eunice said Wednesday. “But we fit so well. It’s like he was never gone.”
Reflecting on the tour
The April visit was more stressful, she said, probably because they knew Christopher was going back to Iraq.
“We argued a lot,” she said. “I was mad at him.”
But as an experienced army wife, Eunice got on with life with the help of her sons, especially Shane. He had some problems and went to boot camp for a period, Eunice said. However, with his stepfather, Christopher, being away Shane stepped up and helped and now is planning to enlist in the army himself.
Christopher is positive about the military’s role in Iraq, after serving a role there.
“Where I was, the (Iraqi) people were happy to see us,” he said. “I think we are making a difference out there.”
Asked if the personnel overseas felt supported back home, Christopher said he saw a lot of support, particularly from the Waco area where his National Guard battalion shipped from Fort Hood.
“I think we had pretty good support,” he said. “We had a lot of phone cards and care packages.”
He was critical, however, of military personnel parents who criticized the government for sending their sons and daughters to Iraq.
“When we read in the news about some mother who had lost her son, it was upsetting,” Christopher said. “But they weren’t forced to be in the Army, they weren’t forced to be in the National Guard. They went out there because it was their calling. I salute them.
“I’m pretty down on some of those parents who say my son is out there because of oil,” he said. “We made a difference.”
The future
Christopher Garcia has six more years to serve in the National Guard. Although his current call-up doesn’t expire until February, he doesn’t anticipate going overseas again.
“I’m happy to be in the Guard,” he said.
A priority for the family is saving some money and moving out of the apartment that has been a “temporary” home, since they moved back to Kerrville two years ago. Christopher said he hopes that by next fall, the family will be able to move.
Indeed, and a hearty AMEN!! for men and women like this! :*)
My brother just returned with this group, and we are so thankful for their patriotic devotion to serve our country.
Big applause and THANK YOU for all of them! :*)
My thanks to your brother pillut48. They are heroes, all.
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