Military fathers serve their country, family

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. James M. Hodgman
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  A captain who spent much of 2009 in Iraq missed many of his daughter's first moments, as well as many changes in his son's life. Likewise, a staff sergeant here missed many special moments while he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

June 20 is Father's Day, a day to honor fathers and celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in society. Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June in more than 50 nations.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers and designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.

Two Offutt fathers who've recently returned from deployments shared what it was like to be away from the people they love most.

Capt. Adam P. Vossen, an internal medicine physician and the chief of the 55th Medical Group's Internal Medicine Clinic, is a father of two with another one due in September. He can easily spend up to 60 hours a week working inside the Ehrling Bergquist Clinic. In 2009, he spent half the year working at a clinic at Balad, Iraq.

Being away from his wife, Shari, as well as his son, Jack, 3 and daughter Kira now 10-months-old, was difficult, Captain Vossen said, but thanks to technology and some things he brought from home, he was as close to his family as he could be.

The captain brought some photos of his wife and his son with him, while Mrs. Vossen was pregnant with Kira.

"I brought (the photos) with me so I would be able to see them whenever I wanted," he said.

Captain Vossen also used the internet and service organizations to (communicate) with his family.

"I stayed in contact with my wife almost every day, I sent videos of me reading books to my son through the United Service Organization and my wife sent me pictures (almost) every day," Captain Vossen said.

"This was really important to me because I missed reading to my son and he likes reading his favorite books over and over, so this way he could have me read him a book as many times as he wanted while I was gone,"

The captain also enjoyed weekly video conferences with his family where he heard and saw his children laugh, as well as some of his daughter's first sounds.

Staff Sgt. Dustin D. Hindel, a budget analyst with the 55th Wing Comptroller Squadron and a father of three, spent the past four months at a base in Iraq and also used technology to stay in contact with his family.

Before he left, Sergeant Hindel said he gave each of his children, Cameron, 6, Keegan 4 and Kennedy, 10-months, a teddy bear that contained a special message so they could hear his voice while he was gone.

Sergeant Hindel also tried his best to use video messaging while deployed to communicate with his family. This communication was very important, he said.

"Seeing my wife and children and talking to them, knowing they were doing (well) meant a lot to me and allowed me to focus on my job," Sergeant Hindel said.
Time seemed to go by faster as well, he added, because he didn't have to worry about his family.

However, Sergeant Hindel and Captain Vossen missed some special moments during their deployments.

The worst part about being deployed was missing his daughter's first four months of life, as well as all the changes his young son was going through, Captain Vossen said.
"I missed comforting my daughter at night if she was crying, I missed the small little cries and giggles that infants make, I missed all the little things that happen in the life of a three year old kid, things like learning a new word, learning the ABCs (or) watching classic holiday specials on TV for the first time," explained Captain Vossen.

The worst part of being deployed for Sergeant Hindel was missing Cameron's sixth and Keegan's fourth birthdays. The best part? Well, that was coming home.

After his plane landed at Omaha's Eppley Airfield, Sergeant Hindel said he was incredibly anxious and his heart was nearly beating out of his chest. He couldn't wait to see his children, hold them and tell them he loved them.

"Once I saw them all my focus was on them," he said.

His children greeted him with "I love you daddy" T-shirts and signs and even a poster inscribed "welcome home daddy."

Other than seeing his children's births, Sergeant Hindel said that day, was probably the greatest of his life.

Now that both Captain Vossen and Sergeant Hindel are home, they plan to spend a great deal of time with their families.

"I want to be with my family as much as possible to make up for the time I lose because of my job. I can't think of a better way to spend Father's Day," Captain Vossen said.

Sergeant Hindel and his family will spend Father's Day on a beach in Florida where, he said, he plans on cooking some burgers and enjoying watching his children run around.

Offutt will honor fathers here with the Father's Day Olympics in the Global Lounge of the Patriot Club June 18 at 5 p.m. The event will feature dinner, a variety of competitions and prizes. Cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. For more information about the Father's Day Olympics, call 294-2268 or click here.