Family of Soldier Reflects on Struggles During Deployment

Special Series: Dealing with Deployment Part 2

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It all started the first time Josh Fish saw his grandfather standing proud in his Air Force uniform.

I’m going to Afghanistan are the words Master Sergeant Josh Fish said to his wife, and two small kids about year ago.

In six short months he missed all their birthdays a complete home remodel and growing up moments that he’ll never get back.

It’s the little things like reading a book, having an indoor picnic, and wrapping up that baby doll just right that this dad values the most.

“You go over there and time kind of stops for you,” said Master Sergeant Josh Fish. “Everything keeps going at home for six months.”

Fish is a dad, a husband, and a Master Sergeant for Duluth’s 148th Fighter Wing.

“My grandpa worked up there for 40 years and I see how everybody else’s life turned out and everything went well for them,” said Fish.

He followed in his grandfather’s footsteps, enlisted at 18, and left for basic training six days after graduating high school.

“Threat was heightened and nobody really knew what was happening,” remembers Fish.

Just two years later America changed forever.

“Twenty years old when 9-11 happened,” said Fish. “They were looking for people for different jobs at the base to work security.”

Fish put his dreams of playing college basketball aside for a full time uniform and keys to an airplane.

“I went to Saudi Arabia in 2002,” Fish said. “In 2007 I went to Kuwait for four months and this last year I was in Afghanistan for six.”

With a few deployments under his belt the experienced soldier knew his latest trip to Afghanistan would be the most difficult one yet.

“When you’re 21 years old and you’re single you miss your parents and you miss your brothers and sisters and your friends,” Fish said. “It’s not the same as leaving your wife and kids at home.”

For six months Josh’s wife Jill, Ellie, Mason, and the dogs celebrated birthdays spent long days at the beach, and renovated their entire home without daddy there to watch.

“Especially with Mason being two, he changed a lot,” said Jill Fish. “He got almost every tooth when Josh was gone.”

While 6,700 miles away text messages, Skype, and Facebook kept Josh in the loop and the fish family fully connected.

“Some days I was sure it was a long day and a hard day,” said Jill. “Just to see a picture of your kids and your family and something happy was helpful.”

Videos of his kids singing and playing motivated josh to get through the days, and hurry home to the family he left behind.

“The doors at the Duluth airport are frosted so you can’t see who’s coming out the door so when the door opens he was right there,” remembers Jill.

After 200 days of separation the Fish family was finally reunited.

“Military families are a long stronger than I think they get credit for,” said Josh.

At the end of the day when the uniform is off and the job is done the Fish family can pick up right where they were, and know their daddy is a hero.

“Very proud of daddy,” smiled Jill. “Daddy and husband and yeah he’s amazing.”

After Josh returned he and the family took a long vacation.

He says his deployment to Afghanistan was defiantly not the last trip he’ll take over seas.