Christmas away from home

Dec. 24, 2006
By JOSEPH M. DELEON News-Post Staff
jdeleon@fredericknewspost.com
  

FREDERICK — For the past 11 years, Joe Moore made a big breakfast to start the Christmas Day celebration. The smell of eggs, bacon, potatoes and cinnamon rolls cooking woke his wife, Bonita, and their children as coffee brewed.

After the traditional big breakfast, the family opened presents then often parted ways. Miles, 17, Mr. Moore's son from a previous marriage, usually spent the afternoon with his mother. Kelsi, 17, Ms. Moore's daughter from her first marriage visited her dad. That gave the couple time to spend alone.

But, this Christmas is different — it's the first year Joe Moore will spend Christmas away from his family.

To the U.S. Navy, he's known as Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph M. Moore, one of more than 450,000 U.S. troops and civilians serving in 163 countries, both afloat and ashore, according to the Department of Defense Web site. Most won't be home for the holidays.

Ofc. Moore works as a customs inspector for the U.S. Navy in Kuwait, more than 6,500 miles away from his Thurmont home.

He makes sure returning military equipment meets U.S. Department of Agriculture standards and that all gear troops bring back from serving abroad complies with U. S. customs regulations before re-entering the United States.

"Basically, we get the soldiers to a safe area so they can relax before they get back with their families," Ofc. Moore said from a satellite phone Christmas Eve.

Christmas away from home

While many troops get Christmas gifts from family and friends back home, most continue working, including Ofc. Moore.

He's been in Kuwait for more than four months, but expects to return home in the spring of 2007.

Kuwait reminds him of west Texas — flat, featureless, rocky land. He misses the trees and mountains of Maryland.

"We work really hard and we really believe in what we're doing," the 17-year Navy veteran said. "We hope everyone believes we're here for a good cause."

His 12-hour night shifts keep him busy, but they don't keep Ofc. Moore's mind off his family.

He calls home every chance he gets, usually about once every two days. He worries about how his family is doing, especially his wife of 11 years.

"This is new to her, it's the first time I've been away like this," he said. "We talk about how things are going back home, how the children are doing."

Pictures, phone calls and e-mails help him endure the loneliness.

His favorite pictures are the ones that show everyday things: his children posing for the camera, his dogs playing in the yard or his cats laying around the house.

"That brings it all back," Ofc. Moore said. "It keeps it close in my mind."

Ms. Moore looks forward to getting pictures her husband takes in Kuwait. He has e-mailed pictures of himself, other troops and even from a visit from the Harlem Globetrotters.

"It makes it easier because you feel like you have a connection," Ms. Moore said. "I don't know how people did it years ago when they didn't have all that technology."

First time for everything

This year, Ms. Moore will fix the big Christmas breakfast for the first time. She hopes that keeping up the tradition and following everyday routines will help take some of the burden off their children, who are seniors at Catoctin High School.

"I didn't think the kids would take it as hard as they did," she said. "It's a big year for (Kelsi) and she spent a lot of time with her stepdad, she wants him to be home for prom and graduation."

Miles seems withdrawn sometimes and usually stays quiet about his dad's absence, Ms. Moore said. But, she can tell he misses his dad too.

It's the first time she's had to do a lot of things.

Since her husband has been gone, all three of their vehicles have broken down and the well went bad.

"You take for granted that he was there and all the things he did," she said. "It's things that he would handle that I wouldn't know how to do, so I'm grateful for neighbors and friends who have helped out to support me."

Ms. Moore worries about her husband getting hurt in the line of duty. She can't help thinking the worst after seeing the news on TV.

"It's always running through your mind," she said. "What if something happens, what am I going to do?"

To put those thoughts out of her mind, she imagines what it will be like when he comes home. Ms. Moore hopes they can go to the beach for a week.

"It's been really hard, but the kids are taking it tough too," she said. "In a way, you think he's just going to walk in the door, but in your heart, you know he won't."