|
CAMP TAJI, Iraq (June 9, 2008) - Micaela Cardoza beamed as she
stood in her blue cap and gown at her Ansbach, Germany, high school
graduation. She couldn't help but smile as a teacher read her
message to her family and friends.
"I want to thank my mom, Miriam, and my dad, Elias, for always
supporting me and being there through good and rough times," the
teacher read. "I will always be thankful for all your hard work and
support."
A few thousand miles away in a conference room in Iraq, Army
Sgt. Elias Lantigua, Micaela's father, choked back tears.
"I got a little emotional, … more than I thought I would," said
Lantigua, who hails from Boston and serves with Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, Task Force 12. "Once she said my name, I
couldn't help it."
Lantigua was one of a few soldiers in 12th Combat Aviation
Brigade to watch their children take the stage, courtesy of the
Department of Defense Dependents Schools, U.S. Army Europe and 5th
Signal Command in Germany.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Irvin, a production control
specialist in 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, watched from
another darkened conference room at Logistics Support Area Anaconda
as his own daughter, Trista, crossed the stage.
"I'm glad I could see it," he said. "Of course, I want to be
there, but it's nice to see it. I talked to her this afternoon as
they were getting ready to go. I'm very proud of her."
Though watching from afar on a monitor may not be the same thing
as being there in person, the soldiers said, they were happy to
bear witness to such major achievements in their children's
lives.
"I think it's very positive," said Army Lt. Col. Richard Crogan,
deputy commander for Task Force 49 and 12th CAB soldiers stationed
at LSA Anaconda. "It's a great morale boost being able to see your
child go across the stage. It's the next best thing to being
there."
This is the fifth year that parents of students in Germany have
been able to watch the ceremonies from Iraq. The recorded
ceremonies also are available online for parents to watch later if
work schedules kept them from seeing it live.
Lantigua, who said he was skeptical about how he would feel
watching from so far away, spent most of the ceremony waiting for
glimpses of his daughter. He excitedly pointed her out to friends
assembled in the room when she appeared on screen.
"I was able to participate in something that, just a few years
ago, I didn't think was possible," he said. "For that short time, I
actually felt like I was there and that I went through this with
them."
After the 12th CAB wraps up its 15-month deployment in
September, Lantigua and his family will travel to Boston, where
Micaela plans to speak to a recruiter about joining the Air
Force.
"I'll be with her for that," he said. "It's important to both of
us. … She wants me to be there, and I want to be there for
her."
And for one important hour on a Friday night in June, he said,
he was there for her.
"After seeing the picture and the big screen, the feed was so
good, I felt like I was actually in the audience," he said. "I
probably had a better seat than most of the people there."
|
