A Surprise Visit

Recent transplant to Payson Utah, Army Sergeant First Class Matthew Pettijohn recently made a surprise visit to his daughter’s school for a final reunion with his family before his deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. SFC Pettijohn is currently stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Tacoma Washington as part of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team where he is the platoon sergeant for an intelligence analysis cell. This will be SFC Pettijohn’s fourth overseas assignment in his 12 years of service. He spent two 2 year tours in South Korea and also deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2009-2010 as part of the last combat brigade pulled out of that country. He will be departing for Afghanistan around the beginning of November and will be deployed for approximately 9 months. His wife and two daughters will be anxiously awaiting his safe return in the fall of 2013.