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U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Marc Seal, of The Colony, Texas, returned from a five-day journey Aug. 13 that started at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, where he is an Infantry squad leader assigned to the Texas Agribusiness Development Team, a unit from the Texas National Guard.
His early morning mission was a secret one, known only to him and his command and kept secret for a special reason. His mission was to track down and surprise his son, U.S. Army Pfc. Nolan Seal, who had just arrived in Afghanistan and is currently serving as an infantryman with the 4th Infantry Division.
Marc Seal, a decorated combat veteran on his fifth deployment since 9/11, and his third deployment to a combat zone, has served on active duty and in the National Guard for 16 years. His son, Nolan Seal, also from The Colony in Texas, decided to carry on the family tradition last year when he joined the Army. Nolan Seal is currently assigned to the 1st Battalion 66th Armor, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Carson, Colo.
Marc found out his son would be deploying to Afghanistan early this year. He decided not to take the standard two weeks of leave that is afforded to every Soldier deployed to a combat zone in hopes that he could spend some time with his son when he arrived.
As soon as his son landed in Afghanistan, the planning began.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jeff Mayo, the Command Sergeant Major of Texas ADT 3, contacted Nolan’s battalion and worked with U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Martin Kelley and the 1st BCT 4th Infantry Division Command Sergeant Major, Gerald Kinloch, to make the mission possible.
The trip started with Marc “bumming” a ride on a Blackhawk helicopter that left FOB Ghazni and was en route to Bagram Airfield. He then talked his way onto the next flight to Kandahar Airfield, which landed there before sunrise.
Kelley made sure that Nolan would still be in Kandahar and available for his father’s visit. Marc was escorted to a tent where he woke up his son and received a big hug in return.
The two spent the next 36 hours talking about home, training and what lay ahead for the young private as he started his first combat tour. They were able to share a dinner together at Kandahar Air Field and enjoy some shopping at the Post Exchange.
Marc, whose tour ends mid-October, was sad to leave his son and return to Ghazni, but was grateful for the opportunity.
“Nolan will be forever changed by his tour in Afghanistan, some good and some bad,” said Marc. “But no matter what, he will never be that little boy I used to know”.
Marc Seal is very proud of his son and is also cognizant of what having both husband and son in a combat zone means for his wife, Suzanne. When asked how she felt having her husband and son in Afghanistan, she said “It’s a strange mix of pride and horror.”
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2010 16:46 |
| Story ID: | 54970 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE GHAZNI, AF |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 20 |
This work, Texas father and son reunite in Afghanistan, by SFC Ross Dobelbower, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
