NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. \u2013 Jacksonville sailors aboard the USS Cooperstown returned home after spending several months deployed to the southern border, reuniting with loved ones at Naval Station Mayport.<\/p>\n
Four months ago, families gathered on the pier to say their goodbyes. On Monday, those same families came back \u2014 this time with smiles instead of tears.<\/p>\n
Carolina Walker, a Navy mom, described the mix of emotions she felt when her sailor first departed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a sense of pride, fear with the environment that\u2019s going on right now, and just within the military and everything that we see happening overseas, but immensely proud,\u201d Walker said.<\/p>\n
Jewelia Lenze, a Navy daughter, said staying positive helped her get through the long months apart.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake it one day at a time\u2026 and keep thinking back to the memories that we have with him before, and then look forward to the ones you\u2019re going to make afterwards,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
A mission along the southern border<\/p>\n
While the crew couldn\u2019t share specific details about its mission, Commander Jesse DuParc, the commanding officer of the USS Cooperstown, explained the ship\u2019s general area of operation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were in the southern border, protecting the southern border, working for Northern Command. So all around in South America and the southern United States,\u201d DuParc said.<\/p>\n
Before deploying, DuParc expressed confidence in his crew\u2019s readiness.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy sailors are trained and ready and eager to go fight for our country and for our loved ones,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A lot can change in 4 months<\/p>\n
For the Lenze family, the deployment brought more than just time apart \u2014 it brought a major milestone. Back in May, Navy wife Danielle Lenze hinted that the homecoming would look a little different.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll look a lot different because we\u2019ll have one that\u2019s going to be walking around instead of being held,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She was right. Baby Lenze took her first steps in front of dad during the reunion.<\/p>\n
Jewelia Lenze summed up the day simply when asked how she felt.<\/p>\n
\u201cFeeling a lot better. We\u2019re happy to have Dad home,\u201d she said. When asked for one word to describe her emotions, she didn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cJust happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
For sailor Timothy Lenze, the moment was almost too good to believe.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust surreal that life\u2019s going to be life again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As the families filed off the pier Monday, they began another transition \u2014 settling back into their routines and making up for all the time spent apart.<\/p>\n
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