Spending long periods of separation is one of the many challenges military families have to face. But for two soldiers serving here, being deployed has provided an excellent opportunity to reconnect and pass on valuable life lessons.
For Army Staff Sgt. Stephen Littel, the master gunner for the 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, his recent deployment to South Korea came with the unexpected benefit of being deployed to the same country his son.
Littel’s son, Army Spc. Malakki Jewell, a gunner for multilaunch rocket systems with 2nd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery Regiment, arrived in South Korea just about a week before his father did. Since then, the two soldiers have been spending much of their free time together, and Littel even has begun preparing his son to become a noncommissioned officer.
A Big Help
“Dad being here has been a big help,” said Jewell, a native of Spokane, Washington. “His help in studying for the board has helped me to become more confident. And in the gym, I’ve noticed a lot more results.”
This is Jewell’s second rotation to South Korea, and having his father here, he said, has made this experience a little bit different.
“I think it’s pretty cool being gone with my dad,” Jewell said. “I just came back here from being here for a year, and it’s different having your dad here --, someone that you can be around and talk to all the time.”
Littel’s unit is from Fort Riley, Kansas, and Jewell’s unit is from Fort Sill, Oklahoma. This has been the first time the two have had the opportunity to spend time together professionally.
“I was at [the National Training Center] when he left for basic training, and then I was in Kuwait and Iraq,” said Littel, a Philadelphia native. “This is the first time we’ve actually crossed paths.” Now that he’s around Jewell in a military environment, he added, “I can show him the ropes from a senior point of view.”
The father and son also find time for personal interaction. “Sometimes when I find myself over on [Camp] Casey, I get to have lunch with him,” Littel said. “Normally, on the weekends, we get to hang out and do stuff. He can show me around, since he’s already been here before.”
The difference in rank has made little impact on their relationship while deployed. “I really don’t see him during work, so he’s pretty much the same,” Jewell said. “He’s not really any different.”
Mentorship Pays Off
Even though Jewell doesn’t see his father any differently, Littel’s guidance and mentorship have paid off. Jewell will soon attend his battalion’s Soldier of the Month board. Attending the promotion board will be the next step in his road to becoming an NCO.
Littel said he hopes the example he sets for his son will help Jewell to learn how to become an excellent leader, work hard, excel at his job and apply himself.
“I try to show him the right way to do things and make sure he’s ready to be an NCO and, as an NCO, know what is expected of him,” Littel said.