Sgt. Strand and her son, Pvt. Timothy Strand, are part of the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, based in Morrisville. The Guard held a farewell ceremony for the brigade Thursday afternoon, an event designed to honor the families of the service members as much as those in uniform.
Strand, 48, of Jacksonville joined the Marine Corps at age 17 and served 11 years. She got out to raise her six children and waited, she said, for her husband -- also a Marine -- to retire. As soon as he did, she joined the Guard.
Timothy Strand, the youngest of Sgt. Strand's brood at age 18, joined the National Guard on July 3. He missed the farewell ceremony Thursday because he's in Aviation Operations school in Alabama. He'll rejoin the 449th before the group leaves for Iraq. Strand's oldest son is in the Army.
Strand said her youngest wanted to deploy with her because he needed to keep an eye on her. She'll let him think that, she said.
Strand said she wasn't worried for herself or either of her sons.
"Things can happen anywhere," she said. "Nothing is guaranteed in this life or the next, and you have to be ready for whatever is in your path.
"Attitude has everything to do with it."
Still, she was a little concerned, she said, about her retired military husband, Bill, who's staying behind to look after the kids and grandkids.
Well, at least when she tells her son to clean his room, it has the force of an order...
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