She’s not even 2 years old yet, but already, Autumn Adair knows the distinct sound of an incoming call on Skype.
When she hears the ring, she toddles excitedly over to the computer. For Autumn, Skype only means one thing: Daddy is calling.
Plant City native U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Adair, Autumn’s father, is five months into a yearlong deployment to an undisclosed location in Southeast Asia. There, he serves as an early-warning system team leader and works with the Patriot Missile System to provide air and missile defense for a critical asset in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility. It is his and his team’s mission to defend against any type of missile attacks and allow U.S. Air Force and Coalition forces freedom to maneuver.
It’s a huge responsibility, for sure. But on Skype, he leaves that all behind for an equally important task. Sometimes, he’ll sing the ABCs. Other times, he’ll sit and watch “Barney & Friends.” Most of all, he reminds Autumn and his wife, Lauren, just how much he loves and misses his girls.
“There isn’t a day that goes by without her talking about her Daddy,” Lauren says.
The Adairs are counting down the days until Sept. 14, when Thomas will return home for two weeks of R&R. After celebrating Autumn’s second birthday, the family will enjoy a four-day Caribbean cruise.
“I will be catching up on some one-on-one time with my daughter, because at the young age of 2, I have missed a lot of time with her,” Thomas says.
HOME-GROWN
Born and raised in Plant City, Thomas attended Springhead Elementary and Marshall Middle schools, before graduating in 2006, from Plant City High. He spent his childhood years playing baseball at Mike E. Sansone Community Park. Later, as a Raider, Thomas played on the offensive line for the football team and first- and third-base positions for the baseball team.
After high school, Thomas began taking classes at Hillsborough Community College. Two years out of high school, on June 25, 2008, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
“I have always felt a calling to serve my country in one way or another,” he says. “After much debate from my mother and encouragement from my father, I decided to join. I was extremely nervous when I left, but I adapted quickly.”
Although he’ll forever be a Raider, a Durant Cougar ultimately stole his heart. Lauren, also a Plant City native, met Thomas through mutual friends. Then, finally, while on leave from an assignment in Japan, Thomas asked Lauren out to dinner. After only two weeks of dating, they were engaged Sept. 9, 2009 — 9/9/9.
The engagement broke one of Lauren’s longstanding rules — that she’d never marry a military man.
“He was the first guy to open the door for me,” she says. “He’s just a really, really good guy. He’s driven, he has goals. He just — swept me off my feet.”
The Adairs only had about two weeks to celebrate their engagement together, before Thomas had to return to Japan. They had a proxy marriage — a ceremony that doesn’t require the bride or groom to be present — while Thomas was gone.
They celebrated with a true ceremony in March 2010.
LITTLE PUNKY
The Adairs’ nickname for their daughter is Punky.
Punky has her father’s ears and toes, and she also shares Thomas’ dark complexion. Even before her second birthday, she’s nearly potty-trained. And when she misses her Daddy between Skype calls, she climbs up on the couch and talks to a wedding photo hanging on the wall.
She doesn’t yet know the importance of her father’s service. Or the sacrifice her mother is making by essentially acting as a single parent while her father is away.
Two weeks after the Adairs decided to start trying for a child, Lauren was pregnant. They welcomed Punky into the world Sept. 21, 2011, in a military hospital in Okinawa, Japan. Thomas was the first to hold her, and, during the entire stay in the hospital, he changed every diaper.
Through it all, Thomas continued pursuing his associate’s degree in general education in Okinawa, through the University of Maryland’s University College.
“My wife and I have a lot of great memories (of Okinawa) that we will carry with us forever,” Thomas says. “Okinawa is a beautiful place, the locals there are very friendly, and the food is amazing. … I know my wife and I both hope to visit there, at some point in time, to show our daughter where she was born.”
The Adairs returned to the United States — Fort Hood, Texas — a few months later. There, Thomas kept working toward his degree and also ran a lawn-care service on the side. He completed recently his associate’s degree — an accomplishment that will help set up his life once he returns home.
“Completing my degree was a big milestone for me, because most people choose one of two routes — either college or military,” he says. “I sacrificed a lot of time with my wife and daughter to do this, and I couldn’t have done it without their support.”
DEPLOYMENT
Lauren remembers the exact moment when she finally agreed that Thomas should take the deployment opportunity. Thomas’ colleagues had been encouraging him to go, but, with a new baby, Lauren naturally was apprehensive about giving up her husband.
Then, one day, while sitting in the car waiting for Thomas to finish the grocery shopping, Lauren saw a Facebook message from one of Thomas’ military colleagues. When Thomas left the grocery store, he was carrying a bouquet of flowers for Lauren. Just because.
“I told him right there that he could go on the deployment,” Lauren says. “It was so important to him, and long-term, the extra pay was good for the family.”
Lauren and Autumn moved in December 2012, back to Plant City. Thomas returned Jan. 1, to Texas, for training. He saw his family for one week in February, before leaving in March to begin his 12-month deployment.
“We maintain a pretty busy schedule and work countless hours ensuring that our equipment is ready at a moment’s notice,” Thomas says of his work overseas.
As a leader, Thomas also has acted as somewhat of a father figure to his soldiers.
“For a lot of young soldiers, this is their first deployment, and they have a tough time dealing with time away from family,” he says. “We try to stay engaged with one another to keep everyone’s mind off the fact that will be away for such a long time.”
After his September R&R, Thomas will return to Asia through March 2014. Upon his return, he’ll have to work in Texas through August. The Adairs already are planning visits during those months.
Lauren and Autumn won’t have him back, for good, until September 2014.
THE FUTURE
Five years after Thomas popped the question, the Adairs finally will be able to resume their lives as a family in Florida. Thomas likely will pursue either a career in criminal justice or education. They plan to plant roots in their hometown, if possible.
Lauren says she hopes to one day see her husband coach her daughter in softball. After five years traveling the world, Thomas says there is no place like Plant City.
“Two things I miss most (about Plant City) are the people and the food,” Thomas says. “I can honestly say Plant City has some of the nicest, friendliest and down-to-earth people you will ever meet.
“The second reason I miss Plant City is the food,” he says. “I have been able to experience many different cuisines from all over the world, but there will never be anything as good as some good ol’ home cookin.’”
Contact Michael Eng at meng@plantcityobserver.com.