A family from Jonava City, Jūratė and Valdas Striogos, are deployed with the ninth rotation of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team of Ghowr, province of Afghanistan (PRT-9).
Back in Lithuania both of them serve in Rukla Garrison, Sgt. 1st Class Jūratė Striogienė works in the Primary Military Healthcare Centre, and her husband - Sgt. 1st Class Valdas Strioga - in the MIB „Iron Wolf" Staff.
By accident both spouses were called in to take part in the same rotation of the multinational mission in Afghanistan. Their two daughters - 11 year-old Simona and 5 year-old Patricija - were left in care of their grandparents.
„For unprovided-for reasons I joined the artillerists (PRT-9 formed on the basis of Gen. Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion - auth. remark) instead of PRT-8. And Jūratė was already training for PRT-9," - said Sgt. 1st Class V. Strioga when asked what determined that he and his wife serve in the same shift of the PRT.
Both spouses confirmed that at their choice Valdas would have been the first in the family to perform the peacekeeper's duty and then he would have been followed by Jūratė so that their children would not have been left alone. However, the situation occurred that the girls were left in the care of their grandmothers, and the parents went off to the multinational mission in Afghanistan. Jūratė expressed joy that the Military Medical Service paid respect to her wish to conduct the pre-mission training in Rukla and thus to spend as much time as possible near her children during the training period.
The spouses told that they began preparing their children for temporary separation before the planned Valdas' deployment with the eighth shift. Valdas and Jūratė spent time talking to their daughters about the approaching period "when daddy would be away for quite a while because that was his job". The younger Patricija is very much attached emotionally to her father therefore it was hard for her to cope with his absence, luckily, soon she accepted the fact.
According to Jūratė, she found very helpful the explanation of the psychologist of the Military Medical Centre on how children should be introduced to the fact of long-term separation from the father. The daughters already knew what was coming when their mom left for the mission as well, so it was not as painful. Only some of the relatives shed tears upon their leaving.
„We talk to our daughters over the phone almost every day, so family communication is not disadvantaged. We also communicate with the elder girl Simona via the Internet, so daughters likewise ourselves bear separation easier," said Sgt. 1st Class J. Striogienė naming separation from children as the only problem caused by the international deployment.
In Afghanistan Jūratė serves at the PRT-9 medical centre as assistant military doctor. Valdas is a driver of PRT-9 transportation division. His usual task is taking PRT-9 medical personnel to patrols in remote villages of the province where they provide medical examination and treatment for the villagers. However, both spouses agreed that they would not want to go on a patrol together.
„When both you and your husband are military, understanding each other becomes much easier. You do not need to explain why it is necessary to perform duty or depart for training," Sgt. 1st Class J. Striogienė explained why military duty does not cause problems in the soldiers' family.
„Sometimes it happens that we pass the car and the kid to one another at the gates of our unit. However, we manage our lives without any problems," said Sgt. 1st Class V. Strioga and added that everything could be arranged with commanding officers because they understood the situation and rendered as much help as possible.
The spouses will continue to the end of rotation till mid-November and will keep in touch with their family via the Internet and telephone until then.
Article and picture by PIO for PRT-9 Capt. Marius Varna
