139th News

Deployed Airman gives 'shout out' at Royals game

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Michael Crane
  • 139th Airlift Wing
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. --  Thousands pour into the Kansas City Royals' Kauffman Stadium on a hot summer afternoon. August 6 is Armed Forces Day at the stadium and hundreds of Missouri National Guard families are in attendance.

A little league team, which also goes by the name of Royals, is brought to the field. The six-year-olds march along to home plate.

The announcer says to one of the boys, "We have a special message for you."

Everyone's attention turns to the Jumbo Tron. It's Missouri Air Guard Staff Sgt. Rachel Montesano who is currently deployed from Rosecrans Air National Guard Base to Kyrgyzstan. Her message: "I want to give a shout out to my son Dominic. I love you and miss you and can't wait to see you."

Dominic looks excited and surprised as he looks up and sees his mother. This is his first time seeing her since she left last month, said Karen Montesano, Dominic's grandmother. "We haven't been able to do Skype yet, so actually seeing his mom made him excited," she said.

Tech. Sgt. Jessica Montesano, Rachel's sister, was also at the game. "He misses her real bad but his friends are there, so he might not cry," said Jessica.

This is Rachel's second deployment this year. She spent 60-days at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan earlier this year. A few weeks after returning home, she left again for Kyrgyzstan.

Rachel works for the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Personnel Support for Contingency Operations. Her work includes keeping accountability for personnel on the base.

"I try to talk to them every day by using my morale calls (two a week) or email (as much as I want)," said Rachel in an email. "I'm lucky...I work nights here which is during the day back at home."

The crowd applauds for the servicemembers before the first pitch is thrown and they settle in for a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers.