The sadness that comes with Navy ship deployments and the departure of loved ones is always visible pierside as families say their goodbyes.
That emotion was magnified Friday with the deployment of the destroyer USS Paul Hamilton for 10 months — four months longer than the relatively standard six-month tours of recent years.
"Seven months is not OK. Ten months is absolutely ridiculous. That’s way too long," Tricia DeBaun said as she held daughter Isabella, 16 months, and said goodbye to her husband, Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Raymond DeBaun, 34.
Raymond DeBaun had transferred to shore duty less than two months ago but was pulled back onto ship duty for the deployment. He said he’s not sure now about his long-term future with the Navy.
"I have no idea anymore," he said. "My life’s completely been thrown in the air."
The six-month deployments of the recent past are now stretched in some cases into seven- to 10-month tours. The Navy faces demands to keep watch over China, North Korea and Iran but has to do it with fewer sailors in the service — resulting in ships sent on longer deployments.
The 505-foot guided missile destroyer Paul Hamilton, with a crew of more than 280, is heading to the Western Pacific and Middle East, with missions including ballistic missile defense and maritime security.
The Navy said 81 of its 287 ships — 28 percent — are on deployment.
"Right now demand exceeds supply, so that is driving longer deployments," retired Vice Adm. Peter Daly told AOL Defense in May. A stretched-thin Navy would have to choose whether to place greater priority on the Middle East or Pacific, Daly said.
The aircraft carrier John C. Stennis out of Washington state was sent in August on an eight-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East four months ahead of schedule, and after it had returned in March from a seven-month deployment.
The Eisenhower carrier strike group left the East Coast in June on a nine-month deployment. The Pearl Harbor destroyer Chafee returned in June after six months; the destroyer Russell, also from Pearl Harbor, which came back to Hawaii in the spring, was deployed for eight months; and the destroyer Milius, out of San Diego, recently returned from an eight-month tour.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert said last spring that seven- to 7 1⁄2-half month deployments were a "ballpark" goal, Navy Times reported.
Time.com reported in March on the Navy’s lengthening deployments. The article included a 1998 comment from then-Navy Secretary John Dalton: "We learned a valuable lesson in the ’70s when we reached a hollow force by keeping our people deployed for long periods of time, eight, nine, 10 and sometimes 11-month deployments. They expect to deploy, but we’ve learned through experience that six months is the right period of time."
On the pier Friday, Helena Vigil, who grew up in Moanalua Valley, said goodbye to her husband, Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Juan Vigil, 29. The couple has three young children, including twin boys.
Juan Vigil said the longest ship deployment he did was nine months in 2001.
"But I was single back then, I was 18, and I didn’t have kids," he said.
Helena Vigil said, "I know it’s his job. It’s what he’s got to do. It (the 10-month deployment) is not what he wants to do, but it’s what he’s got to do to provide for our family, for the five of us. I don’t like it."
Vigil said there’s a lot of stress with such a lengthy deployment.
"With twins it’s a lot of work," she said. "I’m not going to sleep for 10 months. We’ll be OK. We’ve got God on our side, and he’s at the center for us during this deployment, and we’re going to do it."
Logistics Specialist Seaman Jason Kneiszler, 21, was in summer whites saying goodbye to his wife, Kaila, who was in blue Navy camouflage, with their daughter, Lilly, 4 months, between them.
Kaila Kneiszler, an intelligence technician, said she expects to go on a ship deployment when her husband returns.
"The times are a-changin’, so I guess you’ve just got to adjust to it," Jason Kneiszler said of the long deployment.
"I’m excited for him, but I’m going to miss him a lot," his wife said. "I don’t want him to miss our daughter’s first Christmas, first birthday, but it’s going to happen."
