I was deployed to USNS Comfort, T-AH 20 in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Other than dependent cruises, staffing this Navy hospital ship was quite a different experience for me. Basically, my husband and I now had our roles reversed.  I was the service member being deployed while he was the dutiful spouse manning the home front.

My husband, who was active duty at the time, had been on two different gator ships during our marriage.  He’d often come home after a long hot day, sweaty & stinky, complaining that they’d lost A/C.  I would lack sympathy toward him, often making a joke that ended with me saying, “Poor, poor baby.”

Fast forward to my deployment in the Persian Gulf. Sometime in late January / early February our berthing area lacked A/C for a period of about 24 hours. We were given permission to grab a blanket & pillow and sleep on an upper, outer deck.  It was not comfortable or fun!

Upon my return home, I profusely apologized to my husband for making light of his former complaints of hot days on the ship. I vowed never again to belittle him with any complaints he would verbalize after returning home from a day’s work.

– Laura Schmidt
Whittier, California