Time looms to depart
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]By Shane Farver
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
sfarver@standard.net
L
AYTON -- Capt. Brian Benton says he is prepared, but he doesn't know if he'll ever be ready.
This month, Benton will leave his new family behind and deploy for the first time to Southwest Asia in support of the war on terror.
"You naturally run the gamut of feelings," he said. "It varies by the hour -- excited, nervous, happy, sad."
Hill Air Force Base officials asked that the specific time and location of deployment not be revealed, citing security concerns.
This is a look at how Benton, a pilot with the 4th Fighter Squadron of the 388th Fighter Wing, has been preparing emotionally and professionally to deploy.
***
Wednesday afternoon, the front yard of Benton's Layton home was filled with flags, placed there earlier in the day by Boy Scouts.
He made his way past the scores of flags, took off his tan flight suit and donned the more comfortable option of shorts and a T-shirt.
It was time for a game of catch with his stepson, Josh Harris.
Ever since Benton became a part of his life about a year ago, the 8-year-old looks forward to throwing the football around.
Benton's stepdaughter, Mary Lauren Harris, 13, enjoys talking with him in the evenings.
"It's been magical to be together this past year, for both me and the kids," said Ella Benton, his wife.
Several months ago, when she learned of the upcoming deployment to last about six months, the reality of that magic being disrupted had yet to hit home.
She said she was able to "put it on the shelf" and ignore it, but with the deployment looming closer, it's no longer easy to pretend.
"Now that we're in the home stretch, it's becoming reality," she said. "It's really hitting harder."
***
Nor is it any easier for her husband to ignore that same reality. Friday morning, he sat in on yet another briefing. He's had so many lately, he's lost count.
Benton is one of about 300 personnel from Hill's 388th and 419th Fighter Wings who have been sitting in on briefings and undergoing training as they prepare to deploy.
For the last six months, the 4th Fighter Squadron has been learning about and training with new capabilities installed on their jets.
"We're ready to go," said Lt. Col. Andy Hecht, commander of the 4th Fighter Squadron. "(I've) never been in a squadron that was more ready to go than this one."
This is the first time that elements of the 388th and 419th Reserve Fighter Squadron are deploying together. It is part of Total Force Integration, a combination of the two wings in which they will work together on a daily basis and share the 388th's F-16s.
The experience of the older reservists of the 419th will bring added benefits to the 388th, Hecht said.
"There is no such thing as an inexperienced reservist," he said.
All the reservists deploying have volunteered.
***
Ella Benton has had her share of training as well. Countless questions, such as what to do with the lawn and what to do if an appliance breaks, have been plaguing her and her husband since they learned of the deployment.
"We've taken wagers on what major appliance is going to break first," Brian Benton said.
They have attended meetings to learn about finances, writing wills and taking care of the home. The Air Force provides a checklist of things to take care of prior to deployment.
"Luckily for me, my wife is a very organized person," Brian Benton said.
She's also faced taking care of her children on her own and being away from him before.
A large portion of their courtship was long distance. She lived in Colorado Springs while he was stationed in Georgia and Arizona.
"Most of our dating was very much with our minds," Ella said. "We talked. We wrote letters. We e-mailed and that's what we're going to go back to now."
***
Despite all the preparation, Brian Benton still finds himself overwhelmed.
"It feels like controlled chaos, to be honest," he said as he worked his way through a deployment processing line Friday morning. "You just have to ride the wave."
He picked up bags filled with chemical, weather and sleeping gear. He made his way to the body armor, where he opened a vest and stuffed it full of protective plates.
"I am a little confused," he said. "They throw you the body armor and they tell you to put it together. I've never worn body armor before so I don't know what this is."
***
Ella says she'll never be fully prepared to take Brian to the base and see him off on the much-anticipated and dreaded night of his deployment.
"I know that when I take him that night, you won't want to be within a 10-foot radius of me for awhile because I'll soak you," she said.
She is waking up in the middle of the night and feels like crying, but tries not to in order not to worry him.
But she likens her husband's continual training for war without ever putting it into practice to a pro football player who never had the chance to play a game.
"As much as I don't want him to go, I want him to get the chance to play the game," she said. "I want him to do what he's trained to do."
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