Shared experiences builds stronger family bond

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Corine Lombardo | Spc. Lauren Kostoff and Chief Warrant Officer Tammy Kostoff stand together during a visit at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Iraq. Mother and son are both members of the Montana Army National Guard assigned to Task Force Liberty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 3.  

TIKRIT, IRAQ

10.22.2005

Courtesy Story

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By Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DANGER, Tikrit, Iraq -- It is not uncommon for parents and children to serve together in the National Guard. It is however, unusual for a mother and son to be serving together in a combat theater. For Chief Warrant Officer Tammy Kostoff and her 22 year old son Lauren, it was just the natural progression in service to their country.

Both are members and full time employees of the Montana Army National Guard. Chief Kostoff joined the National Guard in 1990 and Spec. Lauren Kostoff followed in 2000 when he enlisted as a cavalry scout. When the younger received deployment orders in 2004 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Chief Kostoff volunteered to deploy with the 116th Brigade Combat Team as their resource manager. "I volunteered knowing that my son was deploying and because I wanted to do my part in this effort," said Chief Kostoff.

Upon arrival in Tikrit, Iraq, Kostoff was assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division as a budget officer and took on the responsibility of overseeing three primary funding projects. The Commanders Emergency Relief Fund, or CERP program managing approximately 100 million dollars spent on Iraqi reconstruction, the rewards for information program and the Iraqi Army fund program, earning her a Bronze Star Medal for exceptional meritorious service throughout the deployment.

Chief Kostoff has spent most of her deployment at Forward Operating Base Danger, some 70 miles away from her son, who is stationed at Operating Base Warrior. They may both be in North Central Iraq, but their duties have limited the amount of time they have spent together. They were both on a combat patrol together when the younger Kostoff's unit transported Soldiers to inspect schools built in the Kirkuk area funded by Coalition Forces. They also traveled home together this summer on leave.

"Being on patrol with my son was amazing. I never really knew exactly what he did until I experienced it first hand. I am so proud of him", said Chief Kostoff.

"I was nervous about taking my mom along with us on a combat patrol because of the danger," said the Specialist. "You never know what might happen, and fortunately it went really well."

While traveling home on leave, the Kostoffs received a lot of strange looks, and even more questions as they walked through the airport wearing the same name tags.

"It was really neat to be coming home from a combat zone with my mom by my side," said Lauren. The duo was greeted at the airport by their entire family.
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Spec. Kostoff has seen a great deal since arriving here in Iraq last December. As a humvee driver and gunner, the junior Kostoff has been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge for action during Iraq's historic election in January when his platoon was attacked maintaining security at polling sites in Ba"qubah. After completing the forty-hour security mission his platoon was returning to their base, when their vehicle encountered and improvised explosive device and immediate small arms fire from insurgents. His squad dismounted under heavy fire, gained entrance to a nearby building and proceeded to capture the IED trigger man and the insurgents responsible for the fire attack.

"Lauren's an adult, but I'm still a mom so I worry constantly. Being here helps because I have a better knowledge of what's going on, as opposed to being at home, wondering," said Chief Kostoff.

For the younger Kostoff, he takes the good-natured ribbing from his fellow Soldiers with a smile.

"I get picked on a lot because my mom is over here to protect me, but I'm very proud to say that my mother is in the same combat zone as I am in," said Lauren. Adding with humor, "it's a good feeling, being so far away from home and still having your mom so close to take care of you."

We have always been very close, but this deployment has brought us even closer after sharing this unique opportunity is echoed by both.

When the deployment ends, both will return home to the small town of Elliston, Mont. and the Montana National Guard, where Spec. Kostoff will take up full time studies, and mom will once again become a Deputy Financial Manager for Guard 's United States Property and Fiscal Office.

"It's really nice that my mom and I can talk together about Iraq and the experiences we have had here. It's really hard to talk to just anyone about what has happened over the last year because they don't know what it is like over here in Iraq," said Lauren.

• Date Taken: 10.22.2005
• Date Posted: 10.22.2005 16:22
• Story ID: 3445
• Location: TIKRIT, IQ