Photo By Bernhard Lashleyleidner | First Lt. Davon Estelle, executive officer, HHC, 101st BSB, left, and his wife 1st Lt....... read more read more
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CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait –The stress of deployment can be hard on a marriage.
Not so for 1st Lt. Chalonda Estelle, executive officer, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 34th Amor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and 1st Lt. Davon Estelle, executive officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div.
The Estelles are one of eight married couples with the brigade who live together in a containerized housing unit.
“Being deployed together allows us to grow and develop as officers and as a couple because we push each other spiritually, emotionally and physically,” Davon said.
The newlyweds spent their first year apart because of a deployment.
Davon, a native of Crestview, Florida, was transferred from the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Inf. Div. to the 1st ABCT in April, about six weeks after returning from a nine month
deployment to Afghanistan.
“When I found out that my brother and my wife were scheduled to deploy, I asked Col. John Reynolds III if I could volunteer to deploy with the brigade to Kuwait,” Davon said.
“I told him how important my family was to me and asked if he would allow me to go on the deployment with my wife and brother, Spc. Darrell Estelle, a generator mechanic with Company E, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment.”
Davon said volunteering to be with his family on deployment was one the best decisions he made in his military career.
The Estelles met at a flag football tournament in 2013 at Camp Casey, Korea. They began spending their weekends traveling Korea together.
Chalonda, a native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, said after her husband’s permanent change of station orders moved him from Korea to Fort Riley, she began to wonder if the short relationship she shared with the man of her dreams was a dream.
“When I received orders to Fort Riley and saw that he had made a home for us, I knew he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with,” Chalonda said. “I know it may sound cheesy, but I felt loved and protected and knew he had my best interest at heart.”
Davon said he knew she was the one for him when she picked up his Bible the first weekend they hung out in Korea.
“The key to being successful in the military and in life is finding a healthy balance between the military and family because it takes both to be successful,” Davon said.
Chalonda said they have problems just like other couples do, but their strong faith allows them to resolve all their problems through prayer.
“We are deployed, but we treat this as though it is only work and we try to spend as much time together as possible,” Davon said. “Our lives didn’t end because we deployed, so we continue to live as though we are stateside by going to the movies, playing pool, dominoes and card games like we are back in the states.”
Davon said they spend the majority of their free time in the chapel and are dedicated to the gospel service under Chap. (Capt.) Aprill Bight, 101st BSB. Additionally, he said, their religious
commitment is what makes their marriage so successful.
“I take time to mentor young Soldiers because they look at us as role models,” Chalonda said. “I advise them to stay true to their faith, themselves and to always stand up for what’s right.
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.21.2014 14:03 |
| Story ID: | 145657 |
| Location: | CAMP BUEHRING, KW |
| Hometown: | CRESTVIEW, FL, US |
| Hometown: | ROCKY MOUNT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 421 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Married, serving, deployed family remains committed while serving together in Kuwait, by Bernhard Lashleyleidner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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