Through Airmen's Eyes: Father, son reconnect after a year apart

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Bryan Swink
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) --  (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)

Finding time to travel home to their family can be a challenge for many service members due to the sporadic movement and occasional deployments a military life can bring. It is a much larger challenge, however, when two family members in different branches of service try to reconnect.

It's been a year since Master Sgt. Niihau Ramsey has seen his U.S. Navy son, Construction Mechanic Seabee Combat Warfare 3rd Class Brad Ramsey.

The two reconnected at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing when Brad traveled through Southwest Asia during his redeployment back home to Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Miss., after spending eight months at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. During his deployment, Ramsey performed preventative and corrective maintenance on civil engineer support equipment.

"I found out about a month ago our unit might be coming through here on our way home and really hoped everything would work out so I could spend some time with my dad," said Brad, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11. "There were a few hiccups along the way, but luckily it worked out."

Deployments aren't unusual for either of the Ramseys. They have five deployments between the two of them. Niihau, 609th Air Communications Squadron Detachment 1, Mission Support Flight superintendent, is here for a bit longer than a normal six- or 12-month deployment. He is permanently stationed here for a two-year tour.

"Being here for so long without my family is tough," said Niihau, who's nine months into his tour. "What a great opportunity this has been, because I don't know when I will see him next."

The two have spent one week socializing in the evenings and even watched the NFL season-opening game as the two cheered on their favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, as they beat the defending Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants.

The most memorable moment for the father-son duo was logging onto Skype and reconnecting with Niihau's wife and Brad's mom, Amy, who lives in Cameron, N.C.

"It was great for all three of us to be connected together," said Niihau. "I know it meant a lot to her to be able to communicate to us at the same time."

Deployments can be a challenge for any family, but when an opportunity arises to reconnect and bond, the Ramseys make the best of it. Sometimes the sporadic movement of the military can work out for the best.