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Family together in Korea for the holidays

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Marelise Wood
  • 7th Air Force Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Capt. Jessica Adkins is an intelligence officer assigned to the 607th Air and Space Operations Center here.  She grew up with her father, an Army colonel, her mother and two brothers in a tightknit military family.  She knows about the deployments, temporary duties and permanent changes of station that can put distance between family members.  The majority of service members here in Korea can attest to this distance first hand. 

However, for Adkins, this holiday season has brought something for which she is especially thankful.  Adkins is not only fortunate enough to be here with her husband and children, but thanks to the military, she gets to spend the holiday season with her parents and one of her brothers.  

Growing up in a military family, Adkins knew she wanted to join the military someday; however when 9/11occured, she knew her 'someday' had come.  At the time, Adkins was a freshman in college, so the following year she joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and was commissioned in 2005. 

In 2006, Adkins met and married Jeffrey Adkins while they were both stationed in Hawaii, and began a military family of their own. Her husband left active duty in 2008, but continued his service in the Air Force Reserve.  This led to TDYs and deployments for both members, resulting in a lot of time being spent apart.

Three assignments into her military career, Adkins and her husband began weighing their options and decided on an unusual strategy.  For many people an assignment to Korea creates distance, but for Adkins, this would give her family a chance to be together more.  She volunteered for an assignment to Korea and was selected.  With her assignment secured, her husband also pursued an assignment, was selected, and they began their time here in February 2014. 

The family has been enjoying their time here, taking advantage of the travel opportunities and the culture with a brief visit from Adkins's father and brother while in their first year.  Then a little over a year into her assignment, Adkins got big news.  Her father and brother would also be stationed in Korea. 

"Dad just got here in June 2015, my brother got here in May 2015," said Adkins.  "They got here knowing we'll [my husband, children and I] have about another year here and thought that it would be a cool coincidence."

Adkins's father, Col. Kevin Stevens, is the 8th Army deputy surgeon general at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan.  Her brother, an Army crew chief, is assigned to Seoul Air Base.   

For Adkins, who has four children, including a two-month old infant, having her mom here in particular has been a Godsend.   "My mom floats between Osan helping me with my four children and Yongsan with my dad," said Adkins.   "I see them much more now, and we're going to all be together starting Christmas Eve."

Adkins has experienced the distance that can come with military life, but also knows and is thankful for the togetherness it can bring.  "I love the military lifestyle," she adds, "that's all I've ever known my whole life."