Edwards defender surprises daughter at event after year-long deployment

Mrs. Kristie Jarmusz looks on as Maj. Gregory Jarmusz, 412th Security Forces Squadron former operations officer, surprises his daughter during an AWANA (Approved Workman Are Not Ashamed) awards presentation event held at Chapel 2 May 9, 2013. Major Jarmusz returned from a one-year deployment in time to surprise his daughter at the very end of the awards ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jet Fabara)

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Edwards defender surprises daughter at event after year-long deployment

Published May 15, 2013
By Jet Fabara
412th Test Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- For most students in the Edwards community who wait in anticipation for their end-of-year AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) program awards, none could say they were more surprised to receive their final award than young Addyson Jarmusz.

After waiting nearly two hours during the awards presentations May 9 at Chapel 2, the highlight of the event came when Addyson was asked to come forth during a final award presentation in which her father, Maj. Gregory Jarmusz, 412th Security Forces Squadron former operations officer, surprised her after returning home from a year-long deployment in Kabul, Afghanistan.

"After Greg found out that he would return about two weeks in advance, we contacted Chaplain [Joshua] Stoley to see if there was anything we could do to surprise Addyson," said Kristie Jarmusz, Major Jarmusz's spouse.

According to Chaplain Brendon O'Dowd, 412th Test Wing chaplain, when Major Jarmusz sent a message on Facebook to Chaplain Stoley, asking if it would be possible to do something special, Chaplain Stoley happily agreed and made it happen.

As for how it would happen, Chaplain Stoley said the AWANA event just happen to coincide with Major Jarmusz return, so he used the end of the awards presentation to make the surprise announcement.

"The family has been a faithful part of the chapel community and before Major Jarmusz left, he was also a key volunteer in the chapel community, so to see something like this come together, it was truly remarkable and momentous occasion," said O'Dowd.