Double the sacrifice

Photo By Maj. Rebecca Walsh | Sgt. Brian Schwentner and his wife Cpl. Heather Schwentner got engaged on Valentine's Day in 2008 while deployed to Baghdad. Both are currently deployed with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Northern Iraq.  

TIKRIT, IRAQ

02.11.2010

Courtesy Story

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

By Capt. Rebecca Walsh
4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 1st Infantry Division

TIKRIT, Iraq — Even though he's deployed, Sgt. Brian Schwentner wakes up on a twin-sized bed next to his wife, Cpl. Heather Schwentner every morning.

What began as a friendship blossomed into romance during the couple's last deployment to Baghdad with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division during the "surge."

For Valentine's Day in 2008, Brian gave Heather seven origami lilies and a homemade card. Heather, a Honolulu native, gave Brian a ring and asked "so, will you marry me?"

The couple celebrated their engagement by dancing on the rooftop of a building on Forward Operating Base Falcon while the songs "Tender Surrender" and "Best I'll Ever Be" played from an iPod.

Two years later the Schwentner's are in Iraq with the "Dragon" brigade again. They consider themselves fortunate to be deployed together.

"I don't have to worry about her, I know she's safe," said Brian, and Orlando, Fla native, who works in the brigade's aviation operations office.

"It's awesome, the fact that we get to see each other every night and have someone to talk to, who we don't work with all day ... it's worth it," said Heather.

The Schwentner's are just one of over three dozen dual military couples in the "Dragon" brigade. Being deployed and dual military presents both benefits and challenges as couples balance their marriages with their careers and strive to maintain normalcy in their relationship.

"I don't associate the military with my marriage," said Spc. Kenyetta Boyd, from Mobile, Ala., "My husband and I work together like any couple does, we just happen to have the same boss [Uncle Sam], and wear the same uniform to work."

Some "Dragon" brigade couples are co-located on the same base as their spouses while others live on separate camps. Others can spend years apart on opposite deployment cycles with one spouse deployed and the other at home. Some are deployed to Iraq while their spouses serve in Afghanistan.

For those deployed to different locations, communication is the key to remaining close and keeping their marriage strong.

"We miss each other so much. We don't get to see each other at all, being on different FOBs," said Sgt. Megan Ford, a Ft. Lauderdale native who lives on a different base than her husband, Spc. Brian Ford. "We e-mail, and call each other. I send my husband an e-mail every day."

According to Spc. Lashaundalyn Smith who is deployed with her husband Staff Sgt. Charles Smith, being dual military has its advantages.

"It's great, you have someone that understands almost every aspect of what you do as a Soldier," she said.

Oklahoma City native Capt. Ronald Opperman and his wife Capt. Rikki Opperman, left their two small children with Family so they could deploy at the same time.

"We have a great support system back at home who are 100 percent behind us and more than willing to care for our children while we are gone," said Rikki.

While it's not easy leaving children at home, and deploying to different bases, the Opperman's are optimistic.

"Some of our best moments and fondest memories in our marriage have come from some of the hardest and difficult times," added Ronald.

Deployment has also strengthened Boyd's marriage.

"I feel like this experience has made our relationship stronger and we have realized as a couple that we can make it through anything," said Boyd. "Being deployed and being dual military wears heavily on your relationship but if you can make it through, you will see that it's not the yearlong tour and money that kept you going; it is the love and dedication from your spouse and supporting Family Members that make what we do well worth it."

For now Soldiers will continue to fall in love, dance on rooftops, get married and enter the dual military family. Some will deploy and wake up in the morning next to their spouse, others will wake up next to a picture of their spouse, but both husband and wife will know what it feels like to serve.

• Date Taken: 02.11.2010
• Date Posted: 02.11.2010 01:50
• Story ID: 45201
• Location: TIKRIT, IQ