FAMILIES BID TEARFUL FAREWELL TO SEABEES.Byline: Andrea Andrea ghost returns to the Spanish court to learn of the events that followed his death. [Br. Drama: The Spanish Tragedy in Magill II, 990] See : Ghost Cavanaugh Staff Writer Kevin Taylor Kevin Taylor (born August 11, 1974) is an African-American professional skateboarder. He was born in Wildwood, New Jersey, began the sport at age 11, and turned professional at 16. Taylor skates in a regular stance, lives in Philadelphia. gathered with his family in their minivan for one last emotional goodbye before his Seabee battalion battalion Tactical military organization composed of a headquarters and two or more companies, batteries, or similar units and usually commanded by a field-grade officer such as a lieutenant colonel. shipped out Monday for Iraq. His two sons, ages 6 and 8, are too young to understand what is going on in Iraq, Taylor said, but his 11-year-old daughter, Jah'quita, knows the danger her dad will face. ``She told me she's worried something bad is going to happen,'' said Taylor, 32, of Camarillo Camarillo (kă'mərē`yō), city (1990 pop. 52,303), Ventura co., S Calif.; inc. 1964. It is the center of a fertile farm area where citrus fruits and flowers are grown. . ``I tell her it's out of my hands.'' Taylor said he has no doubt he'll return home unscathed to his wife, Kim, and their children when his deployment is scheduled to end in six months. ``I've got these four in my corner, so I've got to stay safe. I've got to keep my head down.'' Taylor and about 100 other members of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 said goodbye to their families at Naval Base A naval base primarily for support of the forces afloat, contiguous to a port or anchorage, consisting of activities or facilities for which the Navy has operating responsibilities, together with interior lines of communications and the minimum surrounding area necessary for local Ventura County - Port Hueneme Port Hueneme (wī'nē`mē), city (1990 pop. 20,319), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Pacific coast; founded 1870, inc. 1948. It has an artificial deep-sea harbor and is the site of a huge naval construction-battalion (Seabee) center. before boarding planes for Iraq. It's difficult to view the mission as just another deployment when she is bombarded with images from the war-torn country every time she turns on the television, said Sarah Steiner, 21, a steelworker with the battalion for the past three years. ``I know that where we're going is not the most normal place,'' Steiner said as she clutched her terrier terrier, classification used by breeders and kennel clubs to designate dogs originally bred to start small game and vermin from their burrows or, in the case of several breeds in this group, to go to earth and kill their prey. mix, Shirley, to her chest. ``You watch the news and get all worked up. It's not safe.'' As she was preparing to leave, Steiner consoled her distraught dis·traught adj. 1. Deeply agitated, as from emotional conflict. 2. Mad; insane. [Middle English, alteration of distract, past participle of distracten, father as he wept on the phone in Nebraska. ``He's real shook up,'' she said. ``I just tell him all this is going to pass.'' The Seabees will join about 100 members of their battalion who left for Iraq eight days ago. The remaining 400 or so members of the battalion will depart on a routine deployment to Guam, spokeswoman Linda Wadley said. One of four battalions based at Port Hueneme, the Seabees will build roads, bridges, and other structures, providing construction support for the Navy, Marine Corps and other military units, Wadley said. Another Seabee battalion already has returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. Elvia Sturtevant, 22, said goodbye to her husband, Jason, 22, as he cuddled their 9-month-old daughter. The couple's second child is due in November. ``Anybody would be worried,'' she said. ``I'm worried he's not going to come back.'' Jennifer Hoekstra, 22, wiped away tears as she waved to her husband, Brandon, 20. The couple, who had planned to marry in June 2005, instead exchanged vows in front of a few relatives three weeks ago in a hastily hast·y adj. hast·i·er, hast·i·est 1. Characterized by speed; rapid. See Synonyms at fast1. 2. Done or made too quickly to be accurate or wise; rash: a hasty decision. arranged ceremony after they learned of his deployment. ``It's hard,'' she said. ``We knew this was coming, but it just seemed so far away. It's so bad over there right now. It's everywhere you look.'' Andrea Cavanaugh, (805) 583-7602 andrea.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Seabee Kevin Taylor hugs his son Isaiah, 6, goodbye, while his daughter Jah'quita, 11, and his wife, Kim, watch. Taylor's heading for Iraq with the rest of his battalion. (2) Seabee Robert Sullinger lifts his daughter Maegan, 2, while waiting to head for Iraq with his battalion. Tina Burch/Staff Photographer |
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