NHS grad prepares to deploy to Middle East

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
 
Newcastle native Justin Francis is being deployed to the Middle East, according to his mother, Denice Pisciotti. Francis is a member of the Wyoming Army National Guard, 115 Field Artillery Brigade. Although unsure of exactly where he’s going, Francis said, he’s looking forward to experiencing new countries and their cultures. 
“It’s a whole new place,” Francis said. 
According to Pisciotti, Francis signed up for the delayed enlistment program when he was a senior in high school. Instead of enlisting for the typical six-year term, he signed up for eight years.
“I was shocked to hear that it was eight years,” Pisciotti said. 
In July 2014, the summer after he graduated, Francis went to Missouri for basic training and advanced individual training. He stayed in Missouri until March 2015, Pisciotti said. He recently reenlisted because his first term is almost up.
“So I’ve had time to get used to it, but I don’t like it. I’m still very proud of him,” Pisciotti said. She said that her husband, Tony, is proud as well. She said the hardest part for her so far has been when Francis went to basic training.
“I think that’s my training,” Pisciotti said. When Francis trained in Missouri, she said, there was limited communication. She believes it trains the family to get used to not seeing or hearing from their soldier every day. 
Francis said he’ll miss his family and “normal life” while he’s gone, but one of his reasons for entering the military was to be a part of the “family,” he said.
Francis will be out of the country for nine months and out of Wyoming for 10 months. His deployment starts in July, he said. He said he’s excited about his deployment because he’ll have the chance to fulfill what he signed up to do. 
“I’m doing what I enlisted for,” Francis said. 
Francis earned his associate’s degree before graduating from high school, so he started his military career higher in rank. He is now a sergeant, according to Pisciotti. The division Francis is in, she said, is part of the support troops.
Pisciotti said she hasn’t had many family members in the military, so this is a new experience for her.  She said Francis currently lives with his sister and niece, who’s 8, and they’ve been trying to prepare her for when he’s gone. 
In the meantime, Pisciotti said, they will be spending lots of time together as a family in June before he leaves for the Middle East. His older sister, Stephanie, who lives in Maryland, will move to Newcastle during his deployment so that they can be together as a family to support each other while Francis is gone. Pisciotti’s biggest concern is her son’s safety, she said. 
“It’s really been an experience for me,” Pisciotti said.
While Francis said other family members have served in the military, his choice to serve his country stemmed more from a personal decision rather than outside influence. 
“I always told myself I wanted to be a part of something bigger,” Francis said.