The Couple That Deploys Together, Stays Together

Marine couple deployed together to Iraq return to MCAS Miramar

A husband and wife are among 317 Marines back home after a seven month deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"There she is!" screamed the sister of Cpl. Griselda Benjamin. Benjamin's extended family traveled from Tucson to MCAS Miramar for the homecoming.

Cpl. Benjamin walked across the tarmac with her husband Gunnery Sgt. Terry Benjamin. They were greeted with hugs from family. The couple met in the Marine Corps.  Cpl. Benjamin called it 'luck' that they were deployed together.

"Mission first. We pretty much stayed on top of everything and we're back home safe, so everything went well," she said.

"Generally you don't have to worry about trying to get through e-mails and phone calls, she's right there at the same place I'm at, so, it was really nice," said Sgt Benjamin.

Among the hundreds waiting for loved ones were many mothers carrying toddlers, born just weeks before their fathers were deployed for seven months.

"It's definitely going to be an adjustment but we're just gonna be excited to show him our routine and how things work around the house," said Christina Tyner.

"The day he turned three months, my husband left and he hasn't seen him since. He was this little thing and now he's gonna be, now he's huge", said Zulay Romero.

Contact Us