Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Rob Haderlie, a Convoy Escort Team driver with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st...... read more read more
By Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Wlaysewski
224th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq— What makes a year-long deployment away from family and friends a little more manageable? Friends. Two soldiers with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 163rd Infantry Regiment, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), help each other through their deployment at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.
Pfc. Bryan Harris, a driver for his Convoy Escort Team, and Pfc. Rob Haderlie, a gunner for his CET, are both with A Company, 1st CAB, and are Bozeman, Mont., natives. They have known each other since their freshman year at Belgrade High School in Belgrade, Mont.
After their graduation, each of them wanted to join the Army, but different situations in each of their lives made it unfeasible at that time. They continued to live as close friends in the Belgrade area for years, and as circumstances changed, they both enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard together. They attended basic training together in the same company at Fort Benning, Ga. Besides being in the same platoon, they even ended up being roommates.
While Harris was able to deploy right away with the unit, Haderlie had to overcome medical and training hurdles before he could finally rejoin his friend in Iraq. Haderlie said many times throughout his hardships, “I wouldn’t miss this deployment for anything.”
Harris is happily married to his wife, Vanessa, who resides in Bozeman, and they were married just prior to the unit’s annual training.
“My wife and I miss each other very much, but are both equally proud to have something to do with serving our country - both as a military spouse and as a deployed soldier,” Harris said. “Her support and ability to handle the additional stress at home made the deployment much easier for me. She understood better than most since both her father and brother had served in the military.”
During his free time on COB Adder, Harris communicates with his wife and family through e-mail and letters, works out, plays basketball and rests for the next mission.
Haderlie is engaged to Christa, who also resides in Bozeman, and their wedding is tentatively set for June 2012. He said that he is anxious to get home and be married, but he concentrates on the mission at hand. He said he is thankful for an understanding fiancée and a supportive mom. His fiancée’s father served in the Navy.
During Haderlie’s free time, he also communicates with loved ones back home, hangs out with Harris at the gym, and prepares himself and his equipment for upcoming missions.
Harris and Haderlie both said they have pride in their ability to serve their country and observed that it is a good thing to already have a deployment under their belt so early in their careers. They look forward to finishing the company’s mission and returning home to their loved ones. For now, they are content to take each mission one day at a time and enjoy the opportunity to serve together as friends.
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2011 15:05 |
| Story ID: | 64064 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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