BAGHDAD — Usually deployment means not seeing family anywhere from 12-15 months. In the case of one father and son, their deployments to Iraq would bring them back together.
Master Sgt. Jonny Resseguie, an intelligence section non-commissioned officer-in-charge with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and his son, Spc. Jonny "Junior" Resseguie II, a healthcare specialist with Company C, 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N.C., reunited, here, Oct. 25.
During Junior's mid-tour leave in August, the elder Resseguie visited and the two discussed if Jonny would be in the same area when he deployed later that month with 4/2 SBCT. They knew they would be near each other, but not how close until Jonny called Junior from Victory Base Complex.
Jonny's next call was to Junior's chain of command at Forward Operating Base Hammer. He explained that he was serving on VBC and asked if it would be possible for Junior to visit. It took a great deal of planning, but finally Junior arrived at the sprawling base outside Baghdad.
Instead of doing things they normally would in the U.S., such as going to music festivals, camping and mountain biking, they enjoyed spending time together sitting in the chow hall eating a meal and hanging out when Jonny got off work.
"I feel spoiled because so many people are over here and their [families] are a million miles away ...My son's right here and I get to see him," said Jonny, originally a Wimberley, Texas, native. "I'm blessed, that's the way I see it."
"I feel the same way," said Junior, from Eagle River, Alaska. "I'm happy that my chain of command was willing and able to bend over backwards to get me over here."
It's not hard to tell they're more than a father and a son when they let an inside joke slip, causing them both to burst into laughter and begin reminiscing about past adventures. After being each other's and their family's support, it's no wonder their bond is so strong. They both know they can turn to each other for strength and wisdom.
Jonny remembers when Junior first joined the Army.
"He would call and ask advice because not only am I Dad, but I've also got 20 years of experience in the Army," he said.
That experience includes more than four deployments, most of which were to Iraq. The Resseguies barely saw each other between deployments.
Junior left for his first deployment just as Jonny returned from Korea in 2005. He missed Junior's homecoming a year later because he was preparing to deploy with 4/2 SBCT.
Before his second deployment with 4/2 SBCT in August 2009, Jonny saw Junior, who was on leave for his daughter's birth. It was only a short time before Junior was back in the fight and his father was on his way over to the same area.
"There was always that little bit of distance and a barrier. That's his life, his unit, his thing and now were here together," said Jonny. "It's a war zone. Thank God it's stable and neither one of us are going outside the wire every day, facing what we've had to face [on previous deployments.]"
The dangers of being in a deployed environment haven't escaped their minds, but keeping in contact through emails, phone calls and uncommon visits makes being over here easier than being continents apart like normal families.
"It's one of the best things that's ever happened to me on a deployment," Junior said.