GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – For most troopers, deployment means leaving family, friends and loved ones at home to engage in a mission with their command. Troopers may be gone for a very long time without seeing their family at home, and sometimes miss big events such as birthdays and anniversaries.
For one family, however, this deployment is different. Army Staff Sgt. Jose Santiago, with Joint Task Force Guantanamo, is experiencing something many troopers may never have the opportunity to experience. Santiago has the pleasure of serving alongside his two sons during his deployment with the Puerto Rico National Guard.
Jose has been in the Army for 20 years and has deployed eight times.
Jose said when he found out his unit was deploying, they were going to need more than just the troopers who were in his unit.
"When the call went out to other units my boys volunteered to join me and my unit on the mission," he said.
Army Sgt. Joseph Santiago, with Joint Task Force Guantanamo External Security, is Jose's oldest son. He joined the Army eight years ago.
"I wanted to be with my dad," said Joseph.
Jose said he encouraged his son Joseph to join and authorized him to enlist since he was only 17 at the time.
"I liked the Army and I wanted to go to college," Joseph said.
Joseph, a father of two young boys, said it is hard to leave them behind but would not change his decision to deploy with his father.
Army Spc. Jonathan Santiago, a driver with the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Joint Visitors Bureau, is the youngest of Santiago's sons. Jonathan joined the Army three and a half years ago.
Jonathan said he also jumped at the opportunity to be with his father.
Jose said he and his wife did not want Jonathan to go into the Army. They wanted him to go straight to college, but Jonathan wanted to do his own thing.
"I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps," said Jonathan. "I wanted to be a military policeman, like my dad."
Jose also has a daughter who teaches math in Texas. She is the eldest of his children.
Jose said he raised his children in a military manner and they never gave him problems. He said his boys were always good and he stayed involved with them growing up.
He said he coached their ball team and kept close contact with their teachers.
"He was strict growing up," said Jonathan. "It was ok. We needed it and he is a good man."
Both Jonathan and Joseph said they are equally proud of their father and love him very much. They both said they are happy to have the opportunity to serve alongside him and wouldn't have it any other way.