Into the Kosmos

  • Published
  • By Capt. S.J. Brown
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Minneapolis-St. Paul --  Deployments can be a difficult time for any couple. The spouse at home worries about the deployed spouse in a foreign land while the deployed spouse worries about the spouse at home taking on extra chores like raising children alone and paying the bills. But what if you and your spouse could get grandma to babysit for a few months and go on a working vacation to Balad, Iraq, together? Would you do it? One couple from the 27th Aerial Port Squadron did. Here's their story:

He said ... 

Master Sgt. Damion Kosmosky is a no-nonsense, by-the-book Airman who goes by the nickname "Koz" . Koz volunteered to deploy in May to Balad for a 123-day deployment. When the call came in September seeking volunteers to deploy to Balad, he and his wife, Staff Sgt. Jessica Kosmosky, just looked at each other knowing what was on the other's mind. They both wanted to volunteer, so they talked about it and worked out all the details so they could leave their two children with Jessica's mother and serve their country in a foreign land ... together. 

"We are here to do a job," said Koz, who is a Wisconsin State trooper in his civilian career. "I just happen to have the advantage to have her here, to see her in person. But I spent nine years in the Army National Guard so I'm pretty by-the-book when it comes to public displays of affection. Trust me, there will be no PDA while we are here together. It will be all work. " 

Koz will be an aerial porter and transportation specialist while deployed and will work different shifts from his wife, so that will take away some of the temptation that might arise from being deployed together.
The disadvantage of having his wife join him on a deployment is that he will have to treat her as a subordinate. Koz jokes that while he might get to pull rank in Iraq, the tables are turned when he gets back home. 

And what is the advantage of being together for the deployment? Although they will be missing birthdays and other family events while deployed Koz and Jessica will celebrate their second anniversary July 4 -- together. 

"I'm taking an inflatable palm tree with me and I'm going to make her an 'oasis in the desert' for our anniversary," he said. "So, I guess I'm taking her on an exotic beach picnic."
Koz has been deployed three times in his career, to Kuwait twice and now to Iraq. But this time, he's not alone.

She said ... 

Staff Sgt. Jessica Kosmosky is a kind-hearted Airman who is affectionate and passionate about helping others, which is why she wanted to volunteer for a 120-day deployment to Balad. Knowing she would leave behind her two children in the care of her mother for a few months was a sacrifice she wanted to make for the good of the Iraqi people. That is just the way she is, she worries about everyone but herself. But one person she won't have to worry about is her husband, Master Sgt. Damion "Koz" Kosmosky because he is deployed with her. 

"I think that is the best thing about being deployed together," said Jessica, who will be doing special loading of aircraft while in Iraq. "I won't worry about him because I'll get to see him, know that he's alright, talk to him instead of deciphering what's behind the e-mail or the telephone conversation." 

Jessica, who has been in the military since 1999, admits that she is very affectionate and Koz is not so much so they kind of meet in the middle where PDA is concerned. But not at work, there will be no PDA at work. 

"We are both very committed to our jobs, but maybe after work ... ," She says with a grin. "We did talk about it but we are on different shifts so we'll barely get to see each other anyway. "But just knowing that he is there and I can see him and know he is alright is worth not being able to hug or kiss or anything else. " 

Jessica said that she will expect some sort of affection during the four-month deployment because the couple's two year anniversary will occur July 4, right in the middle of the deployment. 

"Maybe he'll take me out to dinner at the dining facility," Jessica laughs. "While that will be great to see him on our anniversary, the worst part will be taking orders from him. He outranks me so there will be times where he has to tell me what to do. Sometimes it can be hard to take off the 'wife hat' but I'm a professional and can do it." 

Oddly enough, the couple was deployed together in 2004 as well, admits Jessica. They were both on an assignment which took them to Kuwait and Germany. And while they were with the same unit for months, it wasn't until the end of the deployment that they became friends. It would be more than three years after that deployment that they would find themselves in love and getting married.
And here they are today, serving their country together.