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DEL.ICIO.USLove in war
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeremy Redmon
For Matthew and Megan Narez, being married and serving in the same Army unit in Iraq can be a blessing and a curse at the same time.
Camp Rustamiyah, Baghdad — Six painful hours.
Spc. Matthew Narez said he worried through each of them.
He sat on a concrete barrier last month, he said, waiting to see his wife’s face again. She was outside the wire on a mission in Baghdad. He positioned himself so he could spot her coming down the road in her Humvee.
There had been a “communication blackout,” a time when the military shuts down telephone and Internet access.
Blackouts usually occur when a soldier has been seriously injured or killed. The military doesn’t want anyone breaking the news to a soldier’s family before the official notification.
Narez started thinking the worst. What if his wife, Megan, had been seriously injured? He said he smoked an entire pack of cigarettes as the hours wore on.
Finally, she returned to base, uninjured.
The couple said they never discovered the cause of the blackout. But it made them realize how difficult it is to serve in the same unit in a war zone. They serve with the Fort Benning-based 988th Military Police Company, which is training Iraqi police, one of the most dangerous missions here.
“It has its pluses and minuses,” said Matthew, 22, of Columbus. “I think we both worry more.”
Megan, a 22-year-old sergeant, said she has a “double whammy” to deal with.
“I worry all the time. It’s hard because I have my team to worry about,” she said of the other soldiers she looks after.
It would also be difficult, they said, to be apart. At this small camp in eastern Baghdad, they spend one or two hours together each day, often sharing meals.
But being together in a war zone is not the same. The military, they said, prohibits them from publicly showing affection.
After Megan returned from a recent visit to police stations in Baghdad, Matthew walked up and stood beside her. He couldn’t hug or kiss her as he would like. But he smiled brightly.
“We will be walking together and I will go up to him and… ‘Oh, I can’t do that,”” she said, puckering up her lips. “It’s natural.”
Matthew said he sometimes catches himself reaching to hold her hand.
Yet, privately, he calls her baby. She calls him “sweet cheese.” The two met during their first deployment in Iraq in 2003. They wed in July last year.
Matthew is not sure how long he will stay in the Army. But Megan plans to leave the military next year and go to college, perhaps to study massage therapy. The two plan to have children. Megan doesn’t want the Army deployments to hurt her family.
“I don’t see how married people do it in the military,” she said.
Comments
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By Debby
February 13, 2006 08:24 PM | Link to this
Do what u have to do even though its hard and just count the loving time that u do have together there for now. So when both of u are out of the service u will be able to make up all that time u had to spend apart. Hope it all works out for u both. good luck and take care of each other. God Bless u both. What a wonderful story to tell your children some day.
By "Momma Kat" Orr
February 14, 2006 07:03 AM | Link to this
Happy Valentine’s Day to all our hereoes out there!!!! you are the “HEART” of America, and we love you all and are very, very proud of you!!!!!
Momma Kat
By Rebecca Bryant
February 14, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this
Your story brought tears to my eyes. Thank You so much for your service and the ultimate expression of love for America and its people. May the love you continuously express for our countries safety and the Iragi people day after day come back to you ten fold in the future for you both.
Rebecca * Washington DC *
By Michael Castagna
February 15, 2006 05:45 PM | Link to this
Soldiers married to each other serving in the same combat area is not a good idea. Who ever these admin higher ups are should realize this is a poor policy. Don’t get me wrong, I am proud of these soldiers but understand the following:
mommy and daddy goes out on a mission mommy and daddy does not come back. Is it fair to the child at home to lose both parents. I think not.
Again, I take my hats off to these soldiers and pray for them every day, but I would take rank off of the policy makers for being so blind and not thinking of the families back home.
Michael Castagna SSG (ret)
By soldiers wife
February 18, 2006 05:41 PM | Link to this
I agree with you that both parents should not be in a war zone, exactly for the reason you stated. HOwever, this couple does not have children, and she is planning to get out for exactly that reason.
By Michelle Dybala
February 20, 2006 07:58 PM | Link to this
Hi,Megan I am friends(co-worker) with your cousin Julie in evergreen park she forwarded this article to me I would like to Personally THANK YOU ! for your sacrifices you make for this country I realize how hard it must be for the both of you I was married last year 2005 and I know how hard it would be for us! My father was a vietnam veteran who died from his service in vietnam so I realize all the sacrifices and risk you guys are takinfg over there !!!!! I will pray for your safe return Good Luck and God Bless!! Michelle Dybala
By Jose Yanez
February 24, 2006 11:16 PM | Link to this
You both are special people to be doing this service for our country. We are truely proud of you both, Matt I know that you will always take care of Megan, until you both are back home. Megan we are waiting for the day that we can finally meet and get to know you. Take care and may God Bless and Keep both of you,
Uncle Jose