Family Reunited in Camp Arifjan

Photo By Staff Sgt. Trevor Cullen | 1st Lieutenant Mitch Valenza stands with his mother, Major Julie Valenza, and brother, Sergeant Andrew Valenza at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait on Mar. 20, 2020. The Valenza family was reunited together after almost 300 days apart. (US Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Trevor Cullen)  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

03.24.2020

Story by Sgt. Trevor Cullen 

Task Force Spartan

Maj. Julie Valenza, a physician assistant, with the 42 nd Infantry
Division’s Surgeon Office, reunited with her eldest son after being apart for over 300 days.

1st Lt. .Mitch Valenza, a Platoon Leader with the 82nd Airborne Division, was deployed to Afghanistan from July of 2019 to March 2020. On his way home to Fort Bragg, North Carolina he stopped in Kuwait and was able to see his mother Julie and his brother Andrew. Both are deployed to Kuwait supporting Task Force Spartan.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to see him while he was flying through the Middle East to get home,” said Julie. “I didn’t get my hopes up.”
Currently with all the travel regulations put out by the Department of Defense it was unknown whether Mitch would be able to see his family here at Camp Arifjan.

“Having both my sons here is freaking awesome,” said Julie. “It is a dream come true.”

This tight knit family was able to spend time together at Camp Arifjan before Mitch heads back to the states.

“It’s great to see them,” said Mitch while looking back and forth between his mother and his brother. “I missed them so much.”

• Date Taken: 03.24.2020
• Date Posted: 03.24.2020 04:48
• Story ID: 365758
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW