Home of the Brave: A Soldier's Deployment

A few months ago, more than 650 soldiers in the 34 Red Bull Infantry division were notified of a deployment to Southeast Asia – Kuwait, to be exact – beginning in the fall of 2018.

Deployment, to the notified soldiers, meant leaving loved ones behind and packing up a lifestyle to travel thousands of miles to an unfamiliar destination. Wills were written, arrangements were made, and anxiety loomed as these soldiers prepared for the challenges ahead.

To the families involved, deployment meant finding alternatives and figuring out a plan to minimize the absence of the deployed solider. Establishing routines and finding a support group were helpful, but for the most part, families only kept themselves occupied with to-do lists so that thoughts of “what-if” scenarios won’t be able to creep up on them.

But to many, like myself, deployment is a foreign word. I didn’t grow up in a military family, and neither did any of my close friends. Of course, I’ve seen war movies before – Hollywood’s fantasized version of it anyway – and I’ve read about deployments in the news and on popular army wife blogs. So, I knew what deployment was, but to say that I understood the physical, emotional, or even psychological implications of that word, I didn’t have a clue.

And I probably won’t ever be able to, but following the Gallatins through this upcoming ten-month deployment has been eye-opening.

Currently, Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) and the Anoka County Historical Society (ACHS) are partnering to produce a documentary on the effects of military deployments. The Gallatins – consisting of Sergeant Darcy, her husband Greg, and their 2-year-old twin boys – will be the featured family.

As the production assistant of this documentary, I am one of the unique few who get to walk into these strangers’ lives and see firsthand the raw, candid, behind-the-scene moments of how this vulnerable time has already and will continue to impact them in the future. My hope is that by sharing my insider perspective, I will be able to contribute to their overall story and help others, like myself, to get a deeper sense of what deployment entails.

I met the Gallatins on a September evening, two weeks before Darcy’s deployment. I, along with the production crew, arrived at their Coon Rapids home unsure of what to expect, but as we pulled into their driveway, their dog welcomed us with lively barks. It was a familiar sound; my puppies do the same thing.

The front door opened to a smiling, blonde woman. Darcy, I presumed. Behind her, two shy boys peeked out from behind the stairwells. Another woman stood alongside the boys, patting their heads, almost as a reassuring gesture. That was grandma; I could definitely tell.

“This house is just the right amount of space for us,” Darcy said as we made our way up to the living room. Their home was filled with family photos, Biblical scriptures, and cute, little knick-knacks especially catered to them.

As the crew set up, Greg came home from work. “Sorry, I’m a little late,” he said, carrying his lunchbox to the kitchen. Darcy had already started making dinner while the boys were occupied with their new toys. Grandma, who was sitting in the living room, watched over the boys as the crew interviewed their parents.

Dinner soon came: plates were set and the family gathered to the smell of sloppy joes. The boys were fed first, and in between meals, talks of support systems were discussed. Grandma and Aunt Amber were two people named among many others.

After dinner, Darcy and Greg went on a walk around the neighborhood. The two talked openly about communication plans and routines, both with the boys and with each other.

I sing to the boys every night, Darcy mentioned to my producer.

Yes, it’ll be hard for the boys not to hear their mother’s voice, Greg added.

We tried to record my voice on a CD, but it didn’t work, Darcy continued.

I pictured my parents and how much my parents were present for every moment of my life - birthdays, school dances, graduations, my wedding. They were there for it all. My mom still makes me home-cooked meals when I get sick. And yet, for these ten months, Darcy will not be able to physically be there for her boys. She had been deployed before – twice actually – but this time was different. This time, she will be missing her boys’ third birthday. She will not able to take care of them when they are sick, and she won’t even be able to help them sleep at night.

“If you want, I can record you singing,” my audio engineer asked.

Darcy’s face lit up. “You would?”

The recording session was the last thing we did before calling it a day. It only lasted for a couple of minutes, but I could tell how special those minutes meant to Darcy. In fact, I made sure to take one last look at her before we left, and what I saw on her face said it all --

“We’re ready.”

Sergeant Darcy Gallatin is currently training in Texas, and after a month, she will head out to Kuwait.

In the following months, my team and I will be posting more updates and stories on the Gallatins. How is the home of the brave (pun-intended) adjusting to this transition? How is mom doing on the frontlines? These are some of the questions we will explore. Stay tuned!