CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait -- Kevin Sipes first saw her briefly at the old dining facility at the overseas military base as he was preparing to enter Iraq for a combat deployment.
More than eight years later, Sgt. 1st Class Sipes, senior noncommissioned officer for Company B, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, found himself back at Camp Buehring, renewing his vows with that same woman, Sgt. 1st Class Kathleen Sipes, the sexual assault response coordinator for 1st ABCT.
"It's definitely interesting to be here again," Kevin said. "It made me think of how everything changes."
Kathleen said she didn't remember seeing Kevin until a few months later, in late 2006 while they were both in Iraq.
"Spc. Sipes and I had a lot in common from the start," Kathleen said.
The pair shared an interest in Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, and she liked his tattoos, which included portraits of both Sinatra and Monroe.
"I knew she was an amazing individual and I really wanted to be a part of her life," Kevin said, recalling their first meeting. "I didn't make that known at the time because I thought she was dating someone."
She wasn't, and when they met again upon his redeployment from Iraq, they made arrangements for a first date.
"He did the old-fashioned slow yawn and placed his arm around my shoulder -- I thought that was so adorable," Kathleen said. "He also treated me with respect and would open the door for me -- he still does that to this day."
They've been married for six years, with all the ups and downs that come with being a dual-military family. They have two children, son Sean and daughter Roxanne. Kathleen said they've had some experiences together that most couples, especially non-dual-military couples, might never have.
"One time we were walking back from dinner in Iraq and a rocket went over our heads and hit very close to us," she said. "I can remember feeling much safer having him near me."
Another time while deployed, Kathleen could hear over the radio that Kevin's unit had come into contact with the enemy and was taking fire.
"I trusted that he knew what he was doing but I was still scared," she said. "Those are moments that truly brought us closer and more appreciative of each other."
Partly to mark their six-year anniversary and also because they were back in the place where Kevin first saw Kathleen, they decided to renew their wedding vows while deployed as part of the "Devil" brigade.
Chap. (Maj.) Michael McDonald, 1st ABCT chaplain, officiated the event Dec. 22.
"I think any time you get the opportunity to do the renewal of vows, it's just a wonderful proclamation of peoples' faith and belief in the institution of marriage," McDonald said. "To have a married couple that wants to do that is just a tremendous affirmation of the beauty of marriage and peoples' commitment to the fundamental relationship in all of humanity."
Just as in a traditional ceremony, Kevin and Kathleen had a best man and maid of honor, Capt. James Cerrone and Sgt. Jennifer Afuelo-Robinson. Cerrone is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 34th Armor Regt., and Afuelo-Robinson serves with 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st ABCT.
"I met Sgt. 1st Class (Kathleen) Sipes through preparing for Ranger school, and Sgt. 1st Class (Kevin) Sipes was also my instructor to help me get ready for the program," Afuelo-Robinson said. "They are definitely a power couple, they are so motivating and inspirational for me, and it's really great for me to see this and to be a part of it as well."
Daughter Roxanne was able to watch the ceremony via the Internet, something for which the Sipeses were grateful.
"Being away from our awesome kids is the hardest thing about us both being here," Kevin said. "They are growing up so fast and I miss them more than anything in the world."
Immediately following their renewal of vows, which included an exchange of rings, the couple went on a 12-mile road march, their rucksacks emblazoned with the words "Just Married."
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