News

Deployed Airman views CRHS grad over Web

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  From the other side of the world, a deployed Dover Air Force Base technical sergeant watched his daughter graduate from Caesar Rodney High School May 30.

Tech. Sgt. Ralph Mount, deployed to the 5th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron in Southwest Asia, watched his daughter, Hayley, cross the stage and receive her diploma.

For Sergeant Mount, who manages night shift on the flightline at his deployed location, being there in person was not possible.

"Dover's airlift mission is the reason why I'm here," said Sergeant Mount, a native of Kettering, Ohio. "Being deployed is a way of life at Dover. You know it's going to happen and most of us look forward to it - we just love to do our part."

Though he understood the importance of his mission, Sergeant Mount was very upset that he could not be a part of his daughter's graduation. However, according to those who saw his face downrange when he was surprised with her graduation on a computer monitor, that dismay quickly melted away.

Sergeant Mount admitted such graduations are important to all parents, but profound to him. He has just recently gotten to know Hayley.

Sergeant Mount and his wife Trina grew up in the same town and have known each other since they were 13 years old. In high school, the couple dated and after graduation, got married. After their daughter Hayley was born, Sergeant Mount joined the Air Force and was assigned to Dover AFB as his first duty station.

Shortly thereafter, trouble brewed in their home.

"I had a very hard time adjusting to the life of a young military spouse," said Mrs. Mount. "Moving away from home was very hard for me, so we decided to get a divorce. Hayley and I moved back to Ohio so that I could be back at home."

Soon after the divorce, each remarried and Mrs. Mount's second husband adopted Hayley.

"At the time of the adoption we agreed to not tell Hayley she was adopted, so she grew up for 12 years never knowing," said Mrs. Mount. "One night she had a dream that she had a different last name and everything started coming back to her. She then started to ask many questions, some that I did not want to answer or could not answer."

After her dream and much conversation, Hayley was reacquainted with her father and started a relationship but, once again, lost contact.

"Ralph was then deployed [overseas] and Hayley located him," said Mrs. Mount. "They started talking and trying to build a relationship. In all of this Ralph and I as well were talking about Hayley and our lives."

Recently Sergeant and Mrs. Mount remarried and now live together in Dover. Earlier this year, the sergeant deployed.

"Ralph has never been able to be a part of his daughter's life. This would have been the first big event that they were going to be able to share," said Mrs. Mount. "Hayley has always looked forward to walking across that stage and her whole family being there to support her."

Hayley will have family at her May 30 graduation, but she also wanted to find a way to bring the event to her father.

Mrs. Mount contacted Julie Lynn, wife of Chief Master Sgt. Jon Lynn, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Chief Lynn is Sergeant Mount's home station maintenance chief, and Mrs. Lynn, her squadron's Phoenix Spouse representative.

With coordination between the base and CRHS, a plan was put in place to stream the graduation live. This allowed any family member, including Sergeant Mount, at his deployed location, to view the ceremony.

So many times Hayley has felt like "why me, why now," explained Mrs. Mount. Hopefully her father being able to see her graduate eased her tension a bit.

"I now have my father back in my life and want to share this with him," said Hayley two weeks before graduation day. "He has missed out on every single thing in my life. He did not get to see me go to my first day of school, and I wanted him to at least be there to see me on my last day."

Hayley knows very well the importance of her father's mission and understands the sacrifice he is making.

"He only wanted to give me the best life I could have," she said. "That takes a very special person to be able to admit that you want the best for your child and then actually make sure that they get it. Most of my friends at school do not know what it is like to not have their parents around when you need them and take them for granted."

Children of servicemembers never know if, when they say good bye, its going to be the last time that they ever speak to or see them, said Hayley.

"I know that CR is a big school and we have a lot of military families so I'm sure that I am not the only one going through this," she said. "We need something like this to be put into place not only for myself but for each and every one of my fellow students that have a parent that can not be here for this event. They have all helped each of us get to where we are today. We as children, look up to our parents. They are a part of who we are, they deserve to be a part of this."

Hayley's wish came true -her father watched her graduate.

"I could not be more proud of my father for the job he does, he puts everyone in front of himself each and every day when he fights for our freedom," she said. "How do you ever thank someone for that?"

Mrs. Mount agreed.

"He may not be able to be here physically," she said. "But this was sure nice for him to at least be able to watch."