Reintegration: The Road Back After Korea - Part 1 - The Beginning

AWC > Military Life > Reintegration:  The Road Back After Korea

As most or all of you know, my husband spent the last year at Camp Hovey in South Korea.  As most people would be, I was so excited for my husband's homecoming that I forgot, that one of hardest part was yet to come.

A hardship tour is a lot different from a deployment in a lot of respects because during deployment there are reintegration meetings and FRG's are there to assist you with anything that you might need right before a deployment ends.  However, during a hardship tour you don't have any of that.

The Homecoming That Almost Never Was

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AWC > Welcome Home > The Homecoming That Almost Never Was

A few weeks before my husband came home, I decided to seek out a homecoming photographer who could document the moment.  My husband had been deployed before – to Iraq in 2008.  When he returned home, I had my camera ready with full intentions of getting some good photos of his homecoming ceremony.  However, too busy with being in the moment, I got none.  That makes me sad because if someday I do not have the ability to remember the first homecoming I ever had, I have absolutely no photos of that special day.

Army Wife Courtney Y's Welcome Home U.S. Army Style

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AWC > Welcome Home > Courtney Y's Welcome Home U.S. Army Style

I dont even know where to begin on this, talk about a roller coaster ride!

My husbands homecoming date was June 6th at 23:20(11:20pm).  I counted down the days, hours, minutes and seconds for about a MONTH!  On Wednesday the 5th, my husband was headed for the airport at Osan Airbase in South Korea.    I was on edge, full of butterflies and incredibly nervous!  I didn't sleep that night because my husband was 14 hrs ahead and I wanted to make sure that everything went smoothly.  I don't know what difference it makes, it was all out of my control anyway! He arrived at Osan airbase where his flight was SUPPOSED to leave at 09:30 local time, which is about 20:30(8:30pm) my time.

Half My Heart is in Korea: Surviving a Hardship Tour During Pregnancy Part 2

AWC > Half My Heart is in Korea: Surviving a Hardship Tour During Pregnancy Part 2

Pic 1: Our First Night Alone w/out Daddy

When I last left off, my husband had just left to go to Korea.  My life was upside down!    I couldn't believe how much even a newborn baby understand when your emotionally drained.  The first night we were alone, I felt as if i couldn't let her more than even an inch away.  In picture 1, we were getting ready for our first night without daddy with us.  Even thought I tried to look strong for him, I was a complete wreck inside!

Half My Heart is in Korea: Surviving a Hardship Tour During Pregnancy Part 1

AWC > Military Life > Half My Heart is in Korea: Surviving a Hardship Tour During Pregnancy Part 1 by Courtney

In my introduction, I mentioned that when I was 3 months pregnant my husband got orders to Korea. My husband and I moved here to Fort Bragg, NC in January 2010, where he was stationed with the 44th Medical Brigade.

We were here for a little over 2 years when one day my husband logged into his AKO to check his requisition.  It said that he was on orders.  My heart sank, I just knew it was Korea.  The previous months before my husband and I had often talked about volunteering to take a different base to get us out for Fort Bragg.  We waited a little while and then we finally received word that in fact, he was to report to Korea in April 2012.  Another hard blow, my due date was May 19, 2012.  What in the heck was I going to do!?!??! I couldn't even imagine having this baby by myself!