FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Friday marked the third National Guard deployment for Capt. Curtis Burnside, but this time it hit him differently. He’s leaving his children for the first time.
“They play football. She’s just started walking. The milestones you miss when you’re overseas, you have to look at them now,” Burnside said as he enjoyed the final moments with his family before taking off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
A ceremonial send-off was held Friday morning for more than 450 members of the 1-124th Infantry Regiment of the Florida National Guard. They’re headed for the U.S. Central Command area in the Middle East.
”We bring stability and presence for America overseas,” Burnside said. “That’s the main mission here.”
The unit is made up of mostly South Florda natives, including Miami-Dade police officers, Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and City of Miami firefighters.
“It takes away two of our very very good firefighters from our department, but they are serving our country,” said Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez. “They are serving a purpose. We are proud of them for that”
One by one, they boarded the plane after emotional, tearful embraces with their families.
“There’s no secret recipe,” Burnside’s wife Bailey said. “You wake up, you get through a day, you got to sleep. Wake up and get through the next one until they get home.”