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CHICAGO - Bryan Johnson isn't the type to get complacent. Forget about the contract that runs through 2007, forget about his role on the NFC-North leading Bears and don't even mention the resurgence from injury.
Kenya, 3, said she misses her father, although she likes that she can talk to him every night with the aid of a webcam and a high speed Internet connection while he's stationed more than 1,500 miles away at Fort Hood military reservation in Texas.
At 8 months, Amara is so young she probably doesn't realize her dad will soon leave Texas with more than 200 other citizen soldiers from the Boise-based Idaho National Guard 1-183 Aviation Battalion for a year-long tour flying an Apache helicopter over the rugged mountain terrain of Afghanistan.
“Come February I know it will be hard to watch the news," she said. “It is very difficult but I think you have to find the positive in it and that makes it OK," she said. “In particular, I think it is a noble thing he is doing and especially in Afghanistan, I think we are doing some good there."
“I have never been so proud of him in my life before Oct. 25," Bonnie said. “We were able to go out and watch him fly away. It was awe-inspiring and devastating all at the same time."
“When we flew over the people in formation I was mostly thinking that we need to do this and do it well so it looks good for them," he said. “But of course, it is hard to leave your family, and everyone was affected by that."
As a full-time Idaho State University student with two young children to care for, Bonnie said the year without Aaron is going to be hard. But the separation will probably be more difficult for Aaron.
Bonnie said she has their girls and their large extended families to keep her company. Aaron has the company of his fellow soldiers during the day, and the nightly conversations with his family over the Internet.
As the Idaho National Guard 116 Brigade citizen soldiers come home to Pocatello from a tour in Iraq, Bonnie said many people locally don't realize that another large group of Idaho National Guardsmen and women have left for Afghanistan.
“I think the coverage of the 116th has been fantastic. It has been wonderful to see them welcomed home with open arms," she said. “But I want them to understand a large group of people just left. These men and women heading out will be gone a long time."
And even though she's been told by several people to be thankful he's not headed to Iraq, she said Afghanistan is still a dangerous place, and flying helicopters is still a dangerous job.
Aaron said he's heard there are more suicide bombers and IEDs, or improvised explosive devices, in Iraq than in Afghanistan but he is waiting until he gets there to see for himself. Regardless, he said his unit is full of people who take their jobs seriously and take pride in minimizing the danger of flying a helicopter in a combat zone.
“I think the people I am going with are going to do a good job, we've got a lot of good training," he said. “Our unit is very professional, they have a lot of experience and everyone feels like they are out to do the best they can."
Although his wife is more than 1,500 miles away right now, and he is readying for deployment to a combat zone, Aaron said he doesn't worry about his family getting along without him.
“My wife will do well and she's a great mother. She will take good care of them," he said. “So I don't have to worry about them."
Smiling at the image of her husband projected on the computer monitor, Bonnie said good night to Aaron as she has 30 times since his Apache helicopter lifted off the ground at Gowen Field Oct. 25.
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