It's time. 60 days and I will be going away on my first deployment. It almost seems unreal, as I do not know much information. Typical military, maybe, but it sure is nerve racking. Lucky for me (as many say) my deployment is stateside, so I will not be far from my family. But I worry about 
my daughter, who is now two-years-old. What will I miss? Will she miss me? How will I manage without her smile everyday?
I also worry about my boyfriend. We are not married and I continuously think about how the distance and my absense will affect him. Needless to say I will be hiring a maid to keep the house up on a regular basis. It is the least I can do during my time away, right? But will he lose his love for me while I am gone? Maybe the distance will anger him.
It is all a bit overwhelming. Thank God for Skype, Facebook, cell phones and being 'stateside.' For me, it will be a mental challenge. I will need to focus on the ultimate goals: fitness, education, saving money and getting back home to my gorgeous baby girl.
My loyalty to the military is one hundred percent. But the love and loyalty I have to my daughter ... I really cannot place a percentage on that. It encompasses my whole being.
Diali E. Coll-Mercado is a Sergeant in the Army National Guard. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice Administration and has over 10 years Law Enforcement Officer experience. Sgt. Coll-Mercado enjoys spending any free time she has with her daughter, mastering her shooting expertise with an array of weapons, remaining physically fit and eating Snickers (because you have to eat chocolate sometimes).
