A personal story: For reservist, upheaval comes with call to duty

By Pamela Martineau -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Sunday, Sept. 8, 2002

	Senior Master Sgt. Tamara Mirgon stands at the Travis Air Force Base flightline. A former casino pit boss, the reservist was called to active duty after Sept. 11 and now works 12-hour shifts as a military police officer at the base. Sacramento Bee/Manny Crisostomo

A year ago, Tamara Mirgon spent her workdays patrolling the slot machine aisles at Harrah's casino in Lake Tahoe.

Now, the 39-year-old mother of two patrols Travis Air Force Base, helping to ensure that the critical military installation isn't attacked by terrorists.

"I don't necessarily like what's going on in the world, but I'm pleased to be able to fulfill my commitment," said Mirgon, a senior master sergeant with the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

For Mirgon and thousands of other reservists and guard members across the country, life has changed dramatically since Sept. 11, 2001. Called to active duty within days or weeks of the terrorist attacks, they bade farewell to families, jobs and close friends.

Members of Mirgon's unit - the 349th Security Forces Squadron - initially helped step up patrols at Southern California's March Air Force Base. Later, members were transferred to Travis to backfill for active duty forces deployed to other parts of the world.

And the change in lifestyle has, in many cases, been extreme. For Mirgon, mobilization brought 12-hour workdays and long stretches between visits to her two sons and husband in Carson City. For nearly a year, home has been only a place to visit, and Mirgon expects to be gone another year.

Mirgon's mobilization has brought marked changes on the home front, too. Her husband has been paying the bills, cooking, cleaning and caring for the couple's teenage sons - tasks that he and his wife used to share.

"It's changed him," Mirgon said. "He was a workaholic. Now, he makes sure he's there for the boys when they come home from school."

Mirgon's sons - Patrick, 16, and Nicholas, 18 - initially worried that their mom would be deployed far from Nevada. They were relieved when she was assigned to Travis, but her absence still has been hard.

"When I go home, it's like they are attached to me," Mirgon said.

Mirgon's boys have always known that she isn't a traditional stay-at-home mom. She's been a reservist for 20 years and worked as a cop before becoming a casino pit boss.

"My kids have always said: 'My momma wears combat boots,'" she said.

And if long-distance mothering grieves Mirgon, she's not showing it. Instead, she talks about the importance of her mission. The diligence of her staff. The cohesion between reservists and active-duty personnel.

"I'll keep going as long as I'm told to keep going," she said of her tour of duty. "We do it until we're done. Period. Dot. End of sentence."