Married couple deploys to Southwest Asia together Published Sept. 10, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Heather Holcomb 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Maintaining relationships during a deployment is difficult at best, and for most military couples the word deployment is synonymous with separation. However, Tech. Sgt. Michael Raby, a client systems technician with the 81st Communications Squadron, and his wife, Staff Sgt. Cassandra Raby, a master instructor with the 336th Training Squadron, still get to spend around six hours a week together. This might seem like an insignificant amount of time, but six hours is exceptional in a situation that doesn't usually allow for anything more than the occasional phone call. Michael arrived in Southwest Asia April 24 and was followed by his wife just three days later. They're scheduled to return from deployment near the end of the year. "She volunteered for a deployment at a different location and a few weeks before her departure, she was diverted to the same base as me," Michael said. "I believe that it was luck and a lot of well-deserved karma." Michael, a knowledge operations manager, says his day is filled with too many taskers and suspenses to list. His day starts at 7 a.m. and begins to slow down about 6 p.m. "We don't leave until the director leaves, then it's off to the gym or chow," he said. Cassandra, noncommissioned officer in charge of personal computers, said her duty day consists of typical service desk tickets, running fiber optic cable, maintaining a thin client infrastructure and ensuring distinguished visitor quarters and offices are 100 percent operational. She works side-by-side with the communications team commander for any visits in the area of responsibility. For Michael, the most challenging part of the job has been starting work right away with very little turnover, coupled with the longer work hours. Cassandra's biggest challenge has been learning about unfamiliar new technologies and procedures in a short period of time. The couple noted that the force support squadron is in full swing at their deployed location. They both live in dormitories. "Deployed locations always seem to have the best gyms," said Cassandra, who was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2003. This is her husband's first deployment. Michael said that they both go through bad days in which it's difficult for them to take on the additional stress of what a spouse is experiencing. On those days, they keep their time together short. At the same time, they get to experience a small shard of normalcy by eating dinner and going to the gym together or watching movies. They celebrated their third anniversary at their deployed location. "It lessens the stress in this environment knowing that we both understand the things that go on in this particular location. Coping with this lifestyle becomes a little easier," Cassandra said. Being deployed is a very different lifestyle than what the average American experiences, but once initial adjustment takes place, it is an experience that many find they enjoy. "I've had an outstanding time here and the camaraderie that I experience every day is something that I haven't seen in many, many years," Michael said, "Life's experiences are great, but they are even better when you can experience them with your best friend."