Husband, other parish soldiers, set to return from year-long deployment
The wife of a soldier deployed overseas is challenging St. Charles Parish residents and businesses to show their patriotic spirit from Veteran’s Day until Christmas in honor of the seven soldiers that will finally return home next month.
Abby Chabert has spent the last year being a mother to her 4-year-old son while also trying to play the father role. Chabert works a full-time job, volunteers for the battalion’s family support group and does all she can to keep her son, Hunter, busy.
“I guess the best way to describe it is as an emotional roller coaster for the entire family…happy, sad, worried, excited, angry, overwhelmed, proud – all at the same time if that makes any sense,” Chabert said.
Chabert’s husband, Eric, is a staff sergeant who is on his second deployment to Iraq. He and 400 Louisiana soldiers, including seven from St. Charles Parish, have been defending the country for 12 months.
They will all be coming home next month so that they can spend Christmas with their families.
“Hunter and I are counting down the days until dad comes home,” Chabert said. “We don’t have a specific date yet, and all we know is that dad should be home before Christmas. We’re anxiously awaiting an email or a phone call.”
While Eric’s deployment has been tough for Chabert, it has been extremely difficult for Hunter.
“Every day we look at pictures and talk about dad…we even have a ‘Flat Daddy,’ which is a 3-foot cardboard cutout of my husband that Hunter plays with,” she said. “Skype has allowed us to communicate with video calls, so that has made it a little easier.”
While the family is anxiously awaiting Eric’s return, Chabert feels that the soldiers would be blown away if St. Charles Parish demonstrated just how thankful they are for their service. Chabert said that support could be shown in simple ways such as tying a yellow ribbon somewhere on a home or business, or flying an American flag.
“If they returned home to ribbons, flags and signs around the community, I honestly think it would wow them,” Chabert said. “Just to see that the sacrifice they chose to protect our freedom does not go unnoticed.
“It would also show how strong a community we have in St. Charles Parish.”
Chabert would like for that support to be shown from today until Christmas.
“That’s only 45 days compared to 365 sandstorm-filled days our veterans have served in Iraq this year,” she said. “‘Welcome Home Hero’…imagine how you would feel if you drove through your community and saw that after returning home.”
And that support is the least the community can do.
“A soldier puts his or her life on hold for a year, a whole year,” she said. “They leave behind families, jobs, friends and hobbies to protect and serve our country.
“Demonstrating support shows sincere heartfelt appreciation and would really mean a lot to them and even me as a military wife because it’s not just the soldier, but the entire families, that make a sacrifice.”
When Eric does arrive next month, he will not have to return overseas anytime time soon, but it will still take him a few weeks to get back into a normal lifestyle, Chabert said.
“But by the beginning of next year, he should be back to work along with hunting and fishing,” she said. “I know he’s looking forward to that.”
And Hunter and Chabert are looking forward to having Eric back with them.
“I just want Eric to know how much we miss him,” Chabert said. “We can’t wait to have him home with us again and have our family back.”
When a specific return date is identified, the Herald-Guide will run the information for all those who want to honor our soldiers. Check the Herald-Guide’s print and online editions for that information.
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