Military families adjusting during holiday deployments

This holiday season, many families will be celebrating without loved ones who are on deployment serving the country. For the Vue family of Coon Rapids, this year will be spent with Mom serving overseas.

Minnesota National Guard Sergeant Mai Vue is currently deployed to Kuwait as part of the 147th Human Resources Company.

“I’ve been in the military for nine years. I help a lot of soldiers who come in and out of the military,” Sgt. Vue tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS via video call from Kuwait.

Vue began her deployment in September, meaning this year, her husband Lee and two children will spend the holidays without her.

“It was kind of hard at first, first month or so, but I think they adjusted,” Lee Vue said. “Be very patient with your kids if you have kids.”

Lee, a former marine himself, understands the importance and challenges of deployment firsthand. With the help of family members, the Coon Rapids couple are able to keep life moving forward in Minnesota while staying in constant communication a half-world away.

Sgt. Vue says she calls or leaves a voicemail every night, saying communication with her family means everything.

Fiora, 7, says she talks with her mom about “where she is, what country she’s in, what stuff is she doing.” Starlene, 5, says she misses her mom and that she has the best mom in the world.

Sgt. Vue says being a mom is hard on deployment, but there are always two missions, your mission on deployment and your mission to go back home. “Mommy wasn’t here for Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s, but know that mommy will always come back to you.”