Serving through the season: Capt. Ryan Rasmussen

  • Published
  • By Petty Officer 3rd Class John Magsipoc
  • Joint Task Force Civil Support Public Affairs Office
FORT MONROE, Va. (AFPN) --  Although the Airmen assigned to Joint Task Force Civil Support have decorated their respective doors with holiday decorations, it doesn't measure up to being home.

"Of course I'd rather be home with all of my friends and family, but I know that what we're doing here is important to the safety and security of everyone in America so they can be home, enjoying the holidays without worry," said Capt. Ryan Rasmussen.

Captain Rasmussen is among the thousands of Airmen who will spend the holiday season away from their family. He is a member of the 54th Combat Communications Squadron based at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Since October he has been deployed as an individual augmentee for JTF-CS at Fort Monroe, Va.

JTF-CS is a standing joint task force comprised of active, Reserve and National Guard members from all branches of the military and civilian personnel who support a lead federal agency managing the consequences of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive attack.

Captain Rasmussen, a 1996 graduate of Land O' Lakes High School in Land O' Lakes, Fla., is an action officer for the JTF-CS Communications directorate, lending his expertise for a February JTF-CS communications exercise with local emergency responders.

By sacrificing his time and effort, the captain will miss spending Christmas with his family for the second consecutive year. Last Christmas, he was providing communications support for earthquake relief operations in Pakistan. This year's deployment also meant postponing a dream vacation to Hawaii.

"My family and I actually had plans to go to Hawaii for Christmas this year (to make up for being gone last Christmas), but it looks like we will have to look forward to a spring break trip instead," he said.

Like Airmen proudly serving both abroad and across the nation, Captain Rasmussen knows about sacrifice. Still, he would love to see the joy in his two young children's eyes -- daughter Alexa, 3, and son Trent, 1 -- as they open their presents on Christmas morning. He would love to be able to hug and take a photo in a Santa Claus costume with his wife, Lisa, a kindergarten teacher in Warner Robins, Ga.

"This won't be my first Christmas away from family, but that doesn't make it any easier," Captain Rasmussen said. "I take comfort in knowing that my friends and family are safe at home and I know they will be thinking about me."

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