“They also serve who only stand and wait”

— John Milton, Paradise Lost

SILVERHILL, Ala. - Being away from home, far from loved ones is never easy. Knowing a loved one is in harm’s way makes a separation doubly hard on those left behind.

That’s the situation one local family finds themselves in as the Long family of Silverhill waits for Marine Sgt. Joshua D. Aldridge to return from the Middle East. Aldridge comes from Myrtlewood, Ala.

Aldridge married the Long’s youngest daughter, Crystal, July 30 of last year.

Steve and Margaret Long of Silverhill also are the parents of Chesley Harrison, a teacher in Elsanor, and James, a youth minister at the Robertsdale Church of Christ.

“We never had anybody in the service until Crystal married Josh, so this is new to us, but we are very proud of him,” said Margaret Long.

Joshua deployed to Iraq (for security reasons, he’s not allowed to say exactly where) Feb. 17 of this year.

This is Aldridge’s third deployment, the second to the middle east, and in some ways, it’s the hardest.

He and Crystal are expecting their first child this September. That’s about the time Aldridge is scheduled to return from Iraq. The couple is hoping that he’ll be back in time for the birth.

“He’s scheduled to be back on my due date, and we are all very proud of him,” said Crystal Aldridge in a telephone interview. Crystal is currently in her third year as a high school teacher, teaching special education near Camp Lejune, N.C.

Aldridge has his own ways of keeping up with what is going on, however.

“I have every one of Crystal’s pregnancy pictures,” said Aldridge in a telephone interview, adding that he puts a picture of Crystal from each month of her pregnancy into a special frame.

“The hardest part of being away is having a pregnant wife. I truly enjoy what I am doing. But, before I was married, I would leave (for a deployment) on a day’s notice.”

What Aldridge is doing is or what he can say he is doing is, “mounted security patrols, which means I go around on a Humvee and hunt for bad people.”

He’s found some.

“We have found quite a few, actually,” Aldridge said, adding that he’s learned some basic Arabic by using the Rosetta Stone computer program. This comes in handy when talking to Iraqis.

That’s something Crystal would rather not know.

“I don’t want to know,” said Crystal. “I don’t live in ignorance. When he was an engineer he used to do recon. Now he’s on a midnight shift. People don't understand, it’s scary enough without dwelling on what he is doing.”

The couple had a whirlwind four-month courtship.

“Josh met Crystal when he was in Malbis a as a Marine recruiter. They met at Robertsdale High School, and were married a few months later,” said Steve Long, Crystal’s father.

Crystal says she is coping well with Josh’s absence, but like any military wife, she’s finding a host of little things are that Josh would just take care of are plaguing her.

“It’s the little things,” Crystal said. “It’s needing to get to the bank, which is 40 minutes away, and nobody to help. It used to be a partnership. If something goes wrong with the Internet or a CD gets stuck in the car’s player, I am not sure how to fix it.”

That worries Steve Long.

“I know she drives a good distance, about 40 to 50 minutes between home and work,” said Long. “I am big on watching tire pressure, and keeping check on her vehicle.”

Because of a family health issue, Long can’t visit as often as a worried dad would like, but he and the rest of the Long family are intensely proud of Joshua.

“Josh is a real dedicated type person,” said Steve Long. “People look up to actors and football players as heroes, but these people are fighting for the price of our freedom. They are my heroes.”

The support from home is important to Joshua and the rest of his unit. It’s also important to the Iraqis he meets.

“My biggest joy is helping out the people over here,” said Aldridge. “Just a little thing like some extra food shows them we are friendly.”

That trust has helped his unit.

“We’ve earned their trust over time,” Aldridge said. “In return, some have them have pointed out some explosive devices to us. Yes, there are bad people, but we have found a few, quite a few actually, who are friendly. All the locals we have encountered have been blessed good people,” Josh said.

Josh added that the biggest thing that helps build trust is making friends with the local children.

“They need shoes, balls, and toothbrushes,” Josh said.

However, the toothbrushes have gotten mixed reactions.

“The soccer balls are great,” said Josh. “The toothbrushes are not so great. But, the kids need them. We demonstrate how to use them, and the younger kids like them but the older kids give you a look.”

Josh enjoys interacting with the youngsters.

“Kids are kids no matter where you go,” Josh said.

Josh has received plenty of help from home keeping the local children with supplies.

“We’ve received things from the Robertsdale Church of Christ,” Josh said. “We get things from family, and the churches back home. It helps build trust.”

Josh said that while the help from this area is good, there is always room for more.

Joshua’s address in Iraq is:

Sgt. Joshua D. Aldridge

Bravo Co. 1st Plt.

MWSS 274 Det A

Unit 78107

FPO AE 09509-8107

Letters and packages of nonperishable, non-pork items will be welcome, and shared with members of Joshua’s unit. Shoes, soccer balls and toothbrushes will go to Iraqi youngsters. See usps.com/supportingourtroops/mailingrestrictions.htm for more information.