Despite stresses, 438th couple glad to be together

By TOM BERRY
Staff Writer

In a combat zone, it's always comforting for a soldier to know that his buddy is protecting his back.

But is it more - or less - comfortable knowing that your “buddy” is your husband or your wife?

That's the dilemna for Sgts. Jennifer and Ryan Burrow of Murray's 438th Military Police Co. The couple are assigned to the same duty station at Camp Ramadi, Iraq, during deployment in support of Operation: Iraqi Freedom. The couple work together on rotating shifts providing security at the camp.

Ryan, 20, a Paducah native who serves as operations sergeant for the unit, says despite being concerned for his spouse's safety in a war zone, he's glad to have her around.

“Individually, we rotate through the posts, so our jobs vary slightly,” Ryan said via e-mail. “I am very thankful that I get the privilege of serving my country with my wife by my side.”

When he's not dressed out for combat and carrying an M-16 for the Kentucky National Guard, Ryan is a cell phone sales representative for Wal-Mart in Murray. A graduate of Heath High School in Paducah, he is also currently a student at Murray State University where he intends to return following the unit's one-year deployment.

Jennifer, 24, a Paris, Tenn. native and graduate of Henry County (Tenn.) High School, is also a student at MSU. Back home, she's a customer service manager at the same Wal-Mart store. She also says she's glad to have her spouse close at hand.

“(I'm) grateful that I get to be able to serve with my significant other. It's a little more stressful, but I'm glad he is here,” she said.

Having a loved one with you in a combat zone can increase concerns about their being hurt or killed. The kind of war Americans are fighting in Iraq doesn't have a front line and danger is ever present.

“There is a lot of added stress with her being here, but we are both thankful that we get to see each other daily,” Ryan said. “There is no one that I can trust more to have my back, both on a personal level and as a fellow soldier, than my wife.”

For Jennifer, the situation also has both negative and positive aspects.

“(It's) positive always having the person around to talk to when you have a bad day, knowing that person has your back at all times,” she said. “(It's) negative (with) all the extra stress that comes with it. Not only do you worry about your soldiers (and) yourself, but also the person you share everything with.”

For complete story, see Saturday's Ledger & Times