Father and Son Deploy Together

Soldiers create all kinds of bonds with their peers.  Co-workers are like sisters and brothers as they work, fight and play through a 12-15 month deployment.  Subordinates and leaders may develop parent-child relationship as they sweat and persevere through the troubles of being around each other 24/7.

One lucky Soldier from 1st Battalion, 244th Assault Helicopter Battalion (1-244 AHB), Task Force 34, has the distinguished pleasure of being deployed, in the same battalions, with his son. 

“For the most part it has been a professional relationship over here,” said 1st Sgt. Christopher Downey, 1st Sgt. of C Co., 1-244 AHB and father of Spc. Joey Workman.  “I have approximately thirty other 'kids' over here.”

How it started

“He was looking at different options for after high school and during his junior year he was looking into the guard because of the benefits and that he could receive and that he could start junior year by going to Basic Company Training (BCT),”  said 1st Sgt. Downey.

“I told him ‘It is up to you to study and get the scores, and he did just fine,” said 1st Sgt. Downey.  “He did BCT between junior and senior year and left for advance individual training right after he graduated 2007.”

When aviators are pinned with their wings on graduation day, there is a great sense of pride in the Soldier when they complete their long, intense training.

“I pinned his wings on him, which is what he wanted. There is a sense of pride in pinning wings, who pins them is a big deal,” said 1st Sgt. Downey, a native of Spring Hill, Florida.  “You're happy because it is a big event for someone and you’re a part of it.” 

Here Comes Deployment

Shortly after Spc. Workman’s graduation, the Soldiers of 1-244 AHB, to include 1st Sgt. Downey and his Soldiers, were facing a quickly approaching deployment.

He graduated in Oct 2007 and we all ready knew we were getting deployed, explained 1st Sgt. Downey.  Then he came back and started additional flight training periods and doing more things to get deployment ready.

In the Rear

All the Soldiers of 1-244 AHB would be leaving loved ones behind for a yearlong deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, but one would be losing her husband and son.

“Last time, I deployed, 2004-2005, it was just him and her. She would get him to and from school and was busy taking care of him,” said the native of Spring Hill, Florida. 

“This is the first time that she has been truly 'by herself' for 20 years … it has its challenges,” he said.  “She is a big time Christmas fan, for example the tree goes up the day after thanksgiving … it was a little different this year because both of us were gone.” 

Deployment Dad

“You learn skill sets being a father, through trial and error,” said 1st Sgt. Downey.  “There is not an Army Regulation (AR) that says 'this is how to be a perfect' father.  However, there is an AR that tells you how to the technical aspect of being a 1st Sgt.  It doesn't teach you how you to deal with the emotions, people and attitudes.” 

“Being a father and having listened to the problems with the bullies and such it helps you have an open ear to what the younger Soldiers are saying,” he said. “You can listen to them and point them in the right direction.” 

During Deployment

“I have not been a father figure while deployed,” said 1st Sgt. Downey.  “Even when he calls home to his Mom, he says ‘TOP did this,’ or ‘1SG did that’,” explained the First Sergeant. 

“I don't have any fears about him being here,” said 1st Sgt. Downy.  “I look at the quality of NCOs I have in this command the quality of training they provide.  Every 1st Sgt. can say they have the best, but I'll stand behind them.  If you train them right you don't have to worry about that.  If you train them correctly, it will be a conditioned response. 

1st Sgt. Christopher Downey and his son Spc. Joey Workman and the rest of the 1st Battalion 244th Assault Helicopter Battalion are expected to redeploy back to Florida and Louisiana this spring. 

SSG Lynette Hoke
March 7, 2009