Local Husband, Father Deployed To Iraq

SPRING HILL - Bobby Hodges could enjoy his Sterling Hills house for a few days.

That is no small reward for a man about to embark on his second consecutive tour of duty.

He spent his Saturday having a barbecue with his wife, two daughters and stepson. The children live in High Springs, just outside of Gainesville, where the couple grew up and attended high school together.

The family lounged by the pool and relished the sunny skies and family camaraderie. The circumstances made it so they couldn't take it for granted.

Today, Sgt. Hodges is flying to Fort Sill, Okla., where he had spent the previous few months. From there, the crew chief will depart for Iraq.

"The guys I'm working with everyday are going," he said. "I couldn't let them go and not be with them."

He and his wife discussed it at length. They knew he would have to go at some point. It would be best to leave as soon as possible.

He would be among the friends with whom he has served since joining the U.S. Army National Guard more than a year ago. It would be better than going with strangers two or three years later.

Hodges enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps soon after high school more than 20 years ago. He served on the presidential squadron during the Reagan administration.

After three years as a Marine, he returned to a civilian life and worked for 10 years at the Energizer plant near his hometown.

He grew tired of rumors about layoffs and a plant shut down, so he spent the next eight years working for the Department of Corrections.

At 39 years old, he decided to join the National Guard. The cut-off age was 40.

"I work on million-dollar helicopters," he said of his reasons for returning to the military. "I have to stop and think, 'This is what I do for a living.' It's a big honor."

When he joined, he and his wife were assured he would report to his unit one weekend per month and he wouldn't have to go overseas for at least a year. Three months later, Hodges called and told her the news. He was headed to Kuwait.

Teresa Hodges has been frustrated, but she has accepted the lifestyle of being a soldier's wife. She relished being with her husband and seeing him interact with her son and his two daughters during the weekend.

"It's bittersweet because you enjoy the time together," she said, "But in the back of your mind, you know it's time for him to go."

"It felt so good to come home for these past four days and be in my own home," Bobby Hodges said. "I loved having that feeling and being with my kids. It made a big difference."

Teresa Hodges worked as an administrative assistant for the University of Florida before relocating to Spring Hill. She has been unable to find work since due to the economy. Her 18-year-old son lives 90 minutes away and her two long-haired Chihuahuas keep her company.

The inside of the couple's home is stocked with what seems like hundreds of family photos.

The two were friends in high school. They regularly spent time together, but it never advanced to a romance, even though they thought about it.

"She dated my high school buddies, so ..." Hodges muttered. "But we always had that spark."

They have been married for eight years.

While in Kuwait, Hodges called his wife each day and his kids every weekend. He knows it will be more difficult to keep in touch as regularly while he is in Iraq.

Hodges will be deployed along with 90 others in his company - the 1-244 Aviation Helicopter Battalion out of Brooksville.