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| WGIL EXCLUSIVE: Wife of Soldier Worries About Deployment |
She says she knew, in a way, what she was getting into, but a Galesburg woman whose husband is now on a deployment that will eventually take him to Egypt says there will be a lot of nervous times and uncertainty over the next year.
Brandi Ripka's husband Brian is a member of the Charlie Battery of the 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery -- part of the group that left Sunday for training ahead of the peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula.
The Ripkas have only been married about three years, though they dated during a previous deployment. Brandi Ripka tells WGIL for various reasons, talking about the new mission hadn't really happened before he left.
"He's been so busy, and we've got kids at home," Ripka said. "They want to see him. So it's really hard to get one-on-one time with him before he leaves."
Ripka tells WGIL part of the reason she and Brian haven't had much time to talk -- most of their free time has been devoted to their kids.
"I've got a 10-year old at home that wants to play with him before he leaves," Ripka said. "I said, 'It would be nice if mommy got a chance to play with daddy, too.'"
The Ripkas also have seven-month-old twins, and Brandi Ripka says she worries that they may not be able to recognize their father by the time he returns next year. She says in the meantime, the family hopes to chat frequently over the internet.
(Brandi Ripka, left, is interviewed by WGIL's Will Stevenson following a deployment ceremony Saturday at the iWireless Center.)
(A sign the Ripka family held during the deployment ceremony.)
(Brandi Ripka wore a special shirt and buttons honoring her husband during Saturday's deployment ceremony. WGIL News Story by Will Stevenson. Photos by Heather Voudrie.) |
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| 05 24 10 by Newsroom |
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