JACKSON - Staff Sgts. Marilyn Cayson and Gloria Smith have more in common than their rank.
The women recently returned to their south Mississippi homes from deployments in Iraq, where they were stationed in the same headquarters. They both plan to retire from the military within a year and they both look forward to spending more time in their favorite roles - as moms.
Smith, a personnel administrator in the Army National Guard, lives in Gulfport. She said she's looking forward to spending Mother's Day with her family, making up for lost time.
The 48-year-old mother of two said she was not angry about missing out on family events while she served in Iraq, including her youngest son's high school graduation and her brother's wedding.
Cayson, a supply sergeant in the Guard with 29 years of service, did not speak of the dangers she faced in Iraq, instead focusing on her 21-year-old daughter, Tiffany Gilner.
"She is my only daughter and when I couldn't just reach out and touch her, it was very difficult. I was worried about her," the Moss Point resident said.
Smith said now that she's home, she can begin planning for the future, including the time when her sons graduate from college. And, because she will soon retire after 20 years of service, not even a future war should keep her away from that, she said.
Smith said she has no regrets about doing her duty.
"I felt that God had placed me in that position," she said. "All things happen for a reason."
But, Smith said she saw things in Iraq that she'll not soon forget. She said it was especially striking to see children beg for items that most people take for granted, including soap.
"It was quite heartbreaking in terms of the things the kids were in need of," she said.
Smith made little mention of the dangers of war. Mostly, she talked about her sons, 18-year-old Sean and 21-year-old Samuel Jr.
"As a mother, it wasn't as much me worrying about myself, but I worried about my family at home," she said. "Just being away, for something to happen would be just overbearing."
Cayson, 46, said it was difficult to miss milestones in her daughter's life.
"(She) turned 21 while I was over there," she said. "That was a big disappointment."
Cayson traveled to Houston, Texas, where Gilner is in college, so they can be together on Mother's Day.
Cayson's daughter said the inability to talk to her mother when she needed guidance proved difficult.
"My mom is like my backbone. I kind of depend on her for wisdom and input. Not being able to call all her or talk to her was very, very hard to deal with," Gilner said.
Cayson said she had taught her daughter to be independent, and that training paid off during their separation. "I was so proud of her (and) how she conducted herself while I was gone," Cayson said.
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