Two weeks ago, Brenda Gorman exchanged farewells with her daughter Andrea Randolph Clark and her son-in-law Justin at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville as the young couple braced themselves for active duty after being called up while serving in the National Guard.

Gorman was joined by her husband, Andrea’s stepfather, Bill Gorman, and her son, Michael Bishop, as the family prepared for the departure of the newlywed couple who had met while serving in the National Guard. The Gorman family was joined by Justin’s father, Myron, and the rest of the Clark family. Although the ceremony did not officially begin until 2:30 that afternoon, Clark said that the family actually arrived at 8 a.m. after noticing the line of waiting people that had formed outside the coliseum’s door. Despite the wait that preceded the actual ceremony, Clark said it made the ceremony all the more worthwhile.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat just to see him do that,” Clark said. “We are so proud of what Justin and Andrea are doing.”

The Clarks, who exchanged vows on July 26, departed for their deployment to the Middle East to serve in the ongoing Iraqi conflict. It marks the first time that either soldier has been deployed to a foreign nation for active duty.

Although they have only been married for a short period of time, the Clark’s have spent their first year of marriage proudly serving their country stateside and will soon have the same opportunity to do so overseas. It may not be what most couples would envision as the ideal way to spend their early days as a married couple, but the Clark’s are doing just that while protecting their nation. Justin and Andrea are one of only three married couples in their entire unit from the Raleigh National Guard branch.

The couple is currently serving in the HHC 30th Brigade Special Troops Battalion which initially was deployed to Kuwait to allow the troops to become acclimated to the desert conditions of the region. Prior to their deployment, the Clark’s attended an urban training exercise at Ft. Irwin in California in preparations for active duty.

Gorman said that she spoke briefly with her daughter upon her arrival in Kuwait but said that the long line of troops waiting for their chance to call back home to check in with family and friends prevented the two from delving into a lengthy conversation.

Despite the distance between Ashe County and Iraq, Gorman said that she does take comfort in the fact that the couple will have each other to rely on during uncertain times.

“I was a little apprehensive at first but I know that they will have each other for support while serving,” Gorman said.

The Gorman’s also communicate frequently with Justin’s parents and both families immediately update the other in the event that they receive a phone call from the dutiful couple.

Andrea, a 2003 Ashe County High School graduate has always had an interest in serving in the armed forces, Gorman explained. From the time that she was an adolescent and on into her high school years, she has always expressed her desire to serve her nation, Gorman explained. Past generations of her family’s involvement in serving in the military also played a role in her decision to enlist.

“Initially, it was something that she always wanted to do and it was a way to help her pay for college,” Gorman said.

After enlisting to serve in the National Guard, Andrea was able to earn a degree in accounting and achieved the rank of a specialist. It was also through the National Guard that she met and fell in love with Justin while at the National Guard in Boone. Originally from Avery County, Justin also joined the guard and has since achieved the status of a private first class. Clark stated that Justin, too, has always had an interest in the military and stated that part of Justin’s intrigue with the armed forces stemmed from his service days.

It was while serving in the National Guard in Boone that the two met. Clark’s father said that to this day, Justin still ‘gets a sparkle in his eye’ when he talks about the day he first met Andrea.

“He said that when he saw her, he knew she was the one, even in her camouflaged uniform, Justin knew Andrea was the one for him.”