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Father and Son Reunite at FOB Falcon Baghdad

By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams

1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Watching his father return from work donned in a pressed Battle Dress Uniform and polished combat boots left a lasting impression on Pfc. Derek Almen, one that would influence him in his decision to follow in the footsteps of his father, enlisting in the U.S. Army.

A military intelligence analyst, with little more than two years service, Pfc. Almen, waived a chance to take a four-day pass at Freedom Rest in the International Zone, to visit his father, Sgt. 1st Class Robson Almen, stationed at Forward Operating Base Falcon.

It was the first time the two had seen each other since Sgt. 1st Class Almen, personnel noncommissioned officer-in-charge, 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, deployed to Iraq in late March 2008.

Pfc. Derek Almen, military intelligence specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, took a four-day pass to visit his father, Sgt. 1st Class Robson Almen, personnel noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, Jan. 7-10 at Forward Operating Base Falcon. Derek waived a pass to Freedom Rest in the International Zone to visit his father. The Almens' hail from the Marshall Islands in Micronesia, and have served at various installations across the United States and Germany during Robson's 19 years of service in the U.S. Army. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Vin Stevens, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

Derek said his father played a strong role in his decision to join the military, when he enlisted out of high school, while his father was assigned to Hawaii.

"It's a good thing," Pfc. Almen said. "The Army has been our Family, so service in the Army is just another extension of the Family."

Pfc. Almen, deployed to Baghdad for more than two months now, completed his military training at Fort Meade, Md., and was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd BCT, 1st Inf. Div., the storied "Big Red One," out of Fort Riley, Kan.

While spending nearly two decades traveling the continental U.S. and Europe in service to the U.S. Army, this is the first time that Robson and Almen, who hail from the Marshall Islands in Micronesia, served together, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Working from his brigade's tactical operations center, Pfc. Almen said that he thanks his chain of command and credits the security situation in Iraq for the opportunity to visit his father on the FOB located in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.

Pfc. Derek Almen, military intelligence specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, took a four-day pass to visit his father, Sgt. 1st Class Robson Almen, personnel noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, Jan. 7-10 at Forward Operating Base Falcon. Derek waived a pass to Freedom Rest in the International Zone to visit his father. The Almens' hail from the Marshall Islands in Micronesia, and have served at various installations across the United States and Germany during Robson's 19 years of service in the U.S. Army. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Vin Stevens, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

"My chain of command was very supportive," Derek said, "and when my first sergeant approached me with the opportunity to take the pass, I jumped on it."

"I think the security situation is good," he added. "We are actually helping Iraq to take care of its own nation."

Sgt. 1st Class Almen admitted that he planned to take a convoy up to visit his son, but was elated when he found out Derek would fly to visit him at FOB Falcon Jan. 7-10.

Pfc. Almen said, he didn't think he would have the opportunity to visit with his father because the mission would require most of his time, but since things "have been quiet" in Baghdad, it seemed like a good opportunity.

Having a son in the military motivates Robson to want to stay in the military, he admitted.

"It is a big inspiration to have my son doing the same thing that I am doing and being deployed here to Iraq with me right now," said Robson about his son, the second-born of his three children.

Being in the service at the same time as his son is a unique experience, said the senior NCO, who serves as a father and a mentor for Derek.

"I was very proud when he made Distinguished Honor Graduate during his (Advanced Individual Training); I was very proud," Robson gleamed. "I will be walking on my toes when my son puts on the sergeant's 'stripes.' I will be very proud."

The two Soldiers said they try to spend time together, communicating via email and the occasional phone call, but admitted it can be challenging at times due to mission requirements and long hours in the office.

"Every now and then Derek will call and I'll be kind of busy," Robson said. "I will have something going on, or I will call him and he will have something going on; so we try to make time."

"Then there is always afterhours when we jump on the computers to communicate," his son replied.

Pfc. Almen said he has no problem calling his dad whenever he needs help or is generally stressed out.

"If I have a pretty stressful day, I will call him about it, just because he is my dad and I am pretty sure that he will help me out."

Lack of sleep, long days and odd hours made for a trying initiation into OIF, said Derek, adding that his father helped to prepare him for the deployment to Baghdad.

"My pop told me my first 90 days were key and after that it would be no time before we were ready to redeploy," said Derek, adding that he expected to find desert and smoke upon arriving in Iraq.

Sgt. 1st Class Almen first deployed to Port au Prince, Haiti, as part of a peacekeeping force in support of Operation Uphold Democracy.

The experience was totally different than his current deployment, which is more of a "reconstruction mission," Almen explained, but it helped prepare him for the challenges of the year-long deployment to Iraq.

Robson attributed the success of the Family to his wife, Derek's mother, who kept the home fires burning during his more than 19 years of service, and still managed to find time for the Army's Family Readiness Groups and the United Service Organizations.

"My wife has been there for me during this military life; I don't have to rush home because she keeps it together," he testified.

Both Soldiers said they are happy in their chosen career fields and service and look forward to the opportunity to serve in the U.S. Army for years to come.

"I don't know if I will ever be on the same post or in the same unit, but I wouldn't mind serving in the same unit as my father," Derek said.

Visits became sparse during the past two years with intensive training schedules and deployments, said Derek, however, the father and son said they plan on seeing each other again before Robson deploys later this year, taking advantage of their time together.