BUNKIE, La. \u2014 Leaving home to deploy with the military is never an easy task.
For Sgt. Jonathan and Hazelene Soto, it’s a little bit easier because they have each other.
The husband and wife, both soldiers in the Louisiana Army National Guard’s 1086th Transportation Company out of Bunkie, left central Louisiana recently for deployment to Kuwait. Over the next year, more than 160 soldiers in the unit will conduct missions in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
“It feels good knowing that we’re doing what we need to do for the safety of our state and our country,” said Jonathan Soto. “But I don’t think we would be able to do this without each other. It’s motivating.”
The couple met in 2014 during a drill weekend with the 1086th, and were married less than one month before the deployment send-off ceremony on May 13.
Jonathan Soto deployed in 2011 to Afghanistan, but for Hazelene, this is a first. And being a mother of two young boys meant taking every step necessary to prepare prior to their departure to Kuwait.
“Leaving the boys here is definitely the hardest part,” she said. “I felt like I was prepared for this. Now that we’re here in this moment and it’s time to go, I realize that I’m not prepared at all.”
Hazelene said their boys, ages 3 and 7, understand that their parents will be gone for the coming months.
“I’ve talked to them about it, especially my older son,” she said. “I let him know that I would be gone for a while, and we made the proper arrangements for them to stay with our family while we’re gone. I don’t think there’s really anything that can properly prepare you for the feeling of leaving your child for a year. Nothing makes that easier.”
“On my first deployment, I didn’t have much to leave behind. I was just going over there to do my job,” Jonathan said. “Now though, I actually feel the weight of my family and the fact that I’m going to miss them every day. I’m going to miss being with them and teaching them \u2014 learning with them every day. That’s the hardest part. Saying goodbye to the boys.”
The 1086th Transportation Company has been activated multiple times for state active duty. Most recently, the troops served in recovery efforts for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Isaac, and severe weather in March and August 2016.
For the Sotos, the next year will bring forth a series of challenges that they are prepared to face together.
“We keep each other going,” Jonathan said. “Knowing that I’m not alone, and letting (Hazelene) know that she’s not alone in this. It’s a good feeling knowing we will be going through this together and we can lean on each other when times do get rough.”
“I’m ready to serve, but I look forward to coming home,” Hazelene said. “I don’t know that we’ll be able to say too much when we get back. There will probably just be a lot of happy tears.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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