# Civilian Deployers: Father, son ‘home’ for the holidays on Djibouti deployment

/ Published Nov. 30, 2023
COLUMBUS, Ohio, 
*Editor’s note: This is the fifth article of a series, taking a deeper look into the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Civilian Deployment Program**.**The introduction article can be read here**,**the second here**,**the third here**and the**fourth here**.*

Robert Cline is on his fourth deployment with DLA Land and Maritime’s Civilian Deployment Program. The universal customer account specialist is at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa, serving as deputy commander for DLA Support Team – East Africa.

While more than 7,000 miles away, and just in time for the holidays, he feels as close to home as ever – he is serving alongside his son, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Zachary Cline, who is a hospital corpsman assigned to the camp’s Expeditionary Medical Facility.

“I had already been here a couple of months when Zach told me about an opportunity for him to deploy here. I told him, ‘Take it!’ When he arrived, I think we were both in a bit in shock,” Robert said of seeing his son for the first time in five years.

“The camp is small so we see each other a lot, but it’s very operational as far as how much time we can actually spend together,” he added. “The mission must come first – it’s all about supporting the warfighter.”

Robert is responsible for operational planning and logistical support for warfighters based both at Camp Lemonnier and outlying stations in Somalia.

With busy schedules that often conflict, the two share meals together as much as possible – more importantly, they are spending the holiday season together. Conventional to many, but for the Clines it is something quite special, as they have become accustomed to holidays apart.

Robert served in the Army from 1991-2014 as an intelligence manager and deployed often. With a combined five years and four months deployed during his military career, he said there have been a lot of missed holidays and family moments – something they made work with phone calls and gifts through the mail.

Zach shared a fond memory of one of those gifts from his childhood.

“I vividly remember when I was about 10, getting a Swiss Army backpack from my dad while he was overseas that I used for years to come,” Zach said. “Even though to the unsuspecting it’s a trivial item, it really served as a daily reminder that even though he wasn’t with me, I knew he was out there doing good things.”

“From an early age, I just understood this was the way of life for my family with my father being fourth generation military,” he continued. “A lot of folks who haven’t experienced it yet or the families who are about to, will be humbled by the small things we incur to remind us of their service and how those things bring comfort and help fill the void due to their absence. It’s extremely important for the member and the family to have those things.”

After a 23-year military career, Robert said it was only natural to transition into a civilian deployer role. He joined DLA Land and Maritime in 2016 and has been assigned to the Readiness and Civilian Deployment team since.

Prior to this deployment, he served on deployment teams in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Djibouti in 2017, 2019 and 2021 respectively.

“The personal gratification of being able to directly assist the warfighter reminds me of times when I was active duty providing real-time assistance, so my compatriots had everything necessary to accomplish the mission,” Robert said.  “I get that same feeling now when I can report to the warfighters I’m supporting, that their orders have been fulfilled and are either on the way or awaiting pickup. And I can see those same feelings in my son when he talks to me about what he did during his shift.”

Despite Robert’s passion for service, it doesn’t come without challenges. Although his oldest son is grown and pursuing his own military career, each deployment still involves leaving behind his wife, Andrea, and their 13-year-old twin boys.

“Deployments have always been a part of our life together,” said Andrea, a DLA Land and Maritime contract specialist. “But I don’t worry when he’s on a DLA deployment like I did when he was in the military. We are able to talk regularly and FaceTime every Sunday so that really helps.”

“I’m just so happy they are together,” she added. “This is Zach’s first deployment so it’s pretty awesome he gets to experience it with his dad.”

One thing the Clines all agree on – they are a resilient family, shaped through their experiences together...and apart.

“For me, this is about Zach having the opportunity to live the stories I’ve told him growing up, and the fact that *I* have this opportunity to serve *with* him...I couldn’t ask for anything more.”