Moody AFB attorneys support 'Operation I Do'

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Charles Ramey
  • 444th Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) --  Dressed to the nines in his best desert camouflage uniform and surrounded by his security forces family, a nervous but calm deployed senior airman took part in "Operation I Do."

Even though they were separated physically, Senior Airman James Evans and his fiance, Andrea, were reunited via fax and phone April 8 to exchange wedding vows. They owe their nuptials to the efforts of two Air Force attorneys, a probate judge from Lanier County, Ga., and a large Air Force family determined to accomplish a mission.

Evans, a member of the 823rd Combat Security Forces Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., and his bride moved up their wedding date and decided to be married by proxy.

"We were engaged just before I left to come here and were supposed to be married July 14," he said. "But with the uncertainty of how much longer we'll be deployed and the fact that I want Andrea taken care of should anything happen, we decided to do it now."

"I love James more than anything on this earth and knew he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with the moment we met," Andrea said. "He is an intelligent, thoughtful, creative person who has a lot of initiative. Arranging for us to be married so that I would be taken care of is a perfect example of what James does all the time. He takes it upon himself to do things for people without the person asking him to or even knowing about it."

The couple, who met while serving as designated drivers for their friends at a function, have been together for more than two years and have endured four separations because of deployments.

With the unit scheduled to move forward within a matter of hours, an Air Force team of commanders, attorneys, personnel specialists, contracting professionals and medical technicians leaped into action.

"Several things had to come together in a very short amount of time, and it was a definite joint effort by a very determined group of airmen and civilians both here and on the home front," said Capt. Graham Todd, a 444th Air Expeditionary Group staff judge advocate who oversaw affairs from the deployed location. "My first phone call was to Capt. John Hicks at Moody. He's the area defense counsel at the base and veteran of a previous Georgia marriage by proxy. He made everything happen on the stateside end, including helping Andrea with the marriage license application, arranging for a judge and bringing Andrea onto the base for the ceremony."

Todd assisted with the application here by notarizing it and providing an affidavit after James signed it.

"In addition to the application, Georgia also requires a blood test for both members," Todd said. "My home office (the 347th Rescue Wing staff judge advocate office) assisted with research in this area for Andrea while our contracting and medical teams here drew James' blood and arranged for the host nation to conduct the test."

Once the paperwork was finished and the tests complete, the only thing left was the ceremony. Judge Judy Mullis, a Lanier County probate judge, traveled to the base from Lakeland, Ga., to preside over the ceremony.

"I've always been very patriotic and will do anything for my military," Mullis said at the end of the ceremony. "We are all back here praying for you and want you all to return home safely."

Personnel teams on both ends ensured Andrea received an identification card and was enrolled for health care benefits after the ceremony. Todd also assisted James with a will and power of attorney for Andrea.

"I want everyone to know how grateful I am to the many people who stepped up to help James and (me) get married," Andrea said. "I was very impressed with the professionalism of everyone involved and learned from this that anything is possible."

Although the Evans' are officially married, the couple still plans to celebrate and have a regular wedding ceremony upon James' return. Until that time, Andrea will stay with family in Georgia.

"I don't know what the future holds for us," Andrea said. "But I know it will always include James, and I will love him all my life. I just hope he and every other husband, wife and parent make it home as quickly as possible."