For many people, the holiday season is a time to relax, unwind and make memories with your loved ones. But, if you’re loved one is in the military, there’s a chance you could spent the holidays without them.
This is a sad fact for the Byrd family. Robert Byrd is a member of the 278th based out of Knoxville. He and several others were recently deployed to Ukraine and won’t be home until summer. Now his family is faced with an all too familiar feeling.
"He left the country in July," Diann Byrd, Robert's wife, said.
Robert Byrd is currently deployed overseas for the 3rd time in his career.
"As soon as he leaves everything wants to break," Diann Byrd said.
With Robert out of the country, Diann’s responsibilities double.
"I pretty much become the mom, caregiver, fixer, maintenance person and mechanic and everything that he would normally do," Diann Byrd said.
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His deployment couldn't come at a worse time.
"Thanksgiving probably isn’t as bad as Christmas is," Diann Byrd said.
Robert isn’t expected home until May.
"Christmas will be a little harder because Christmas is a big deal," Diann Byrd said.
It’s big deal for the entire family.
"It’s just going to be me and the two boys waking up Christmas morning and that’s going to be a little lonely," Diann Byrd said.
With two sons still living at home, they’re counting down the day their dad comes home.
"I have a little countdown on my phone for the day he’s supposed to come back. When I open it it plays "Carry On My Wayward Son." It’s just something I can look at to keep me going," Phillip Byrd, Robert Byrd's son, said.
Diann said it never gets easier to be away from your loved one and hopes other families dealing with this stay strong.
"I hope they have family and friends they can call on and be with," Diann Byrd said.
Officials said this is the first time since 2008-09 that the 278th has deployed. Before that, the regiment deployed to Iraq in 2005.