March 14, 2007
Wednesday AM

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - More and more Soldiers spend their deployments in Iraq serving along side their spouses.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq -Spc. Michelle McCormick from Houston, Texas and Sgt. Erick McCormick from Ketchikan, Alaska, met on their first tour during Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-05 and are serving their second tour as a married couple. U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Karly Cooper, 15th SB, PAO

Sgt. Erick McCormick, the warehouse noncommissioned officer in charge for Headquarters Headquarters Company, 15th Brigade Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade from Ketchikan, Alaska and Specialist Michelle McCormick, a supply specialist also with HHC, 15th BTB, 15th SB, from Houston, Texas, on their second deployment together, but first deployment as a married couple.

Spc. McCormick joined the Army in 2004. Right graduation from high school, she packed her bags and headed to Fort Jackson, S. C.

"My dad is a military police and my sister is a supply specialist in the Army Reserves, so I decided to join," she said.

Her first duty station was Fort Hood, Texas and within a few short months of arriving, she deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq for three months during Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-05.

"I was excited because my dad was in Baghdad and my older sister was in Karbala." she said.

Sgt. McCormick joined the Army in 2002 after taking the first few years out of high school to work as a fisherman on charter boats. He also worked as a bio-medical tech at the Ketchikan Indian clinic, a local reservation clinic.

"After the twin towers were hit in 2001, I decided to join," he said.

With friends in Special Forces and the Rangers, he felt the patriotic pull to serve his country. He completed basic combat training at Fort Jackson, S.C. His first duty station was at Fort Hood, Texas.

"I liked my first deployment, we went out on a lot of convoys so we were gone a lot and that made the days go by faster," he said.

Arriving on Camp Taji, Iraq in 2004, he met his wife while working in the internet café. She would go in and check her email, giving her a reason to go in everyday to sit and look at him.

"I guess you could say it was love at first sight. I would go into supply for minor things like pens just to see her," he smiled.

It took two weeks to get back to the states after the first deployment. After what seemed like an eternity for the two, they saw each other again and began dating. They married two months later, in May 2005.

"I love having him here. It makes the deployment less difficult since I have him here with me," Spc. McCormick said.

When asked how he likes having his spouse over here with him, he replied with a chuckle.

"It saves me a bunch of money on phone cards."

On the Web:

Our Troops - Ketchikan
http://www.sitnews.us/OurTroops/ketchikan.html

 

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