Editor’s Note: The following story was provided by By Jennifer Archdekin, Unit Public Affairs Representative with the Missouri Army National Guard.
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SHINDAND, Afghanistan – Since early spring about 170 citizen-soldiers with the Trenton-based 548th Transportation Company have been serving on a year-long mission in western Afghanistan. Most of these citizen-soldiers will spend the holidays away from family and friends halfway around the world.
Sgt. Joseph Cheek, originally from Trenton and now living in Columbia, is one such soldier. He is serving with the Missouri Army National in Afghanistan and has been a citizen-soldier eight years. He is the son of Kathy and Alan Cheek of Trenton.
Cheek plans to make the best of things this Christmas by hanging some decorations and exchanging gifts with a few battle buddies. He does have a couple of wishes on his list this year.
“If I could have any wish for Christmas this year it would be to see my girlfriend,” said Cheek. “I’d like to go home or at least for the Internet to work.”
This mission is the second deployment for Cheek. In 2008-2009 he served in Kosovo. Though he had an idea of what to expect, Cheek still admits that that a year away from family and friends is a long time, but he said he serves because he loves it.
Mail from home and special care packages help pass the time and give Soldiers something to look forward to.
“The most interesting thing I’ve received in the mail since I’ve been gone is an origami kit,” said Cheek.
The 548th Transportation Company is slated to redeploy this spring and at that time Cheek can indulge in one of the things he has missed the most during his overseas mission – real milk.