Soldier Copes With Three Deployments, Adjusts To Home Life
Three deployments in five years, and not one was easier than the previous.
“Your mindset is never the same,” said Sgt. Orlando Candelaria, an El Paso native based out of Fort Hood, Texas.
In November of 2011, Candelaria returned to Ft. Hood from his third tour in Iraq — a total of 28 months overseas.
“Not knowing what is expected over there, what’s going happen, that’s what scares me the most,” said Candelaria.
The Riverside High School graduate joined the Army in 2007.
He said it was a difficult decision, but ultimately the best one.
Leaving his wife and two kids was just one of the issues that made every deployment difficult.
“The sleep patterns are not the same, your time to eat is not the same. All that plays a factor,” said Candelaria.
It was how he faced his problems that got him through all three deployments.
“I talked to my superiors in my platoon and then they sent me to the chaplain, and then to counseling in Iraq,” said Candelaria.
According to the Pentagon’s Public Affairs Office, since October of 2011, more than 130,000 soldiers are on active duty overseas.
In recent days, a U.S. soldier who also served multiple tours overseas has made headlines after allegedly shooting and killing 16 Afghan civilians — nine of them children.
On Wednesday, the unidentified soldier was flown out of Afghanistan.
Officials said he was taken to a pretrial confinement facility in another country.
Investigations have revealed that the soldier, stationed in Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington, had trouble readjusting to home life after his last deployment in 2009.
“He might’ve had the correct help, but maybe it just wasn’t enough,” said Candelaria.
The help is out there said, Candelaria.
“No matter what, every deployment is going to be different. Just as long as you have the right support and the right mindset of each deployment, and if you can’t get through it, go in the right steps to get help,” said Candelaria.
He is in El Paso visiting relatives for a week, and then returns to Fort Hood.
Candelaria has no scheduled deployments at this time.
