‘Concerned, proud’: Florida commissioner’s son ordered to deploy overseas
THE U.S. IS SENDING MORE TROOPS, CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS, AND REFUELING TANKERS TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AGAINST IRAN. ONE SEMINOLE COUNTY COMMISSIONER SAYS HIS SON GOT A NOTICE. WESH 2 NEWS CHRISTINA WATKINS TELLS US HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT HIS FIRST EVER DEPLOYMENT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I RAISED MY FAMILY. YOU’VE SEEN COMMISSIONER JAY ZEMBOWER AT SEMINOLE COUNTY MEETINGS, BUT BEFORE HE STEPS INTO THE HAT OF AN ELECTED LEADER, HE’S A HUSBAND, A FATHER, AND A GRANDFATHER. RIGHT NOW, HE AND HIS WIFE SAY THEY’RE GETTING READY FOR THEIR SON, LUKE, TO POSSIBLY DEPLOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AGAINST IRAN. WE’RE VERY CONCERNED, BUT I’M ALSO PROUD THAT, YOU KNOW, HE’S GOING TO HE’S GOING TO REPRESENT OUR COUNTRY, AND I’M SURE HE WILL REPRESENT IT WELL. U.S. LEADERS SAY THIS DEPLOYMENT IS PART OF THE LARGEST AMERICAN MILITARY BUILDUP IN THE REGION. SINCE THE 2003 WAR IN IRAQ. ZEMBOWER SAYS IT’S UNCLEAR WHEN THEIR SON COULD LEAVE AND EXACTLY WHERE HE WOULD GO. ALL WE KNOW IS HE WILL BE DEPARTING AND WE’RE SUPPOSED TO GET A CALL WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET THERE FOR A SEND OFF AT A FORT STEWART, GEORGIA. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE RELATIVELY SOON. LUKE IS IN THE ARMY. THIS IS VIDEO FROM HIS GRADUATION. ZEMBOWER SAYS WITH THIS BEING HIS FIRST DEPLOYMENT NOTICE, THEY ARE ANXIOUSLY WATCHING AND WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. AS PARENTS, YOU KNOW, WE’RE WE’RE EXTREMELY CONCERNED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT HIM TO BE SAFE, BUT ALSO DO THE DUTY ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNTRY. ALL WE CAN DO IS HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOD LOOKS OVER HIM AND LOOKS OVER ALL OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN MILITARY. COVERING SEMINOLE COUNTY COMMISSIONER ZEMBOWER SAYS ONCE THEY GOT THE CALL, H
‘Concerned, proud’: Florida commissioner’s son ordered to deploy overseas
Updated: 4:52 PM EST Mar 3, 2026