MILITARY MATTERS: Navy Chief Surprises Three Children At School

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WTVM) - We know a lot about military deployments, with Fort Benning in our back yard. With their dad serving overseas, three students in Virginia went to school, only to get a big surprise.

Elizabeth Allen, with St. Matthews Catholic School, said “So they don’t expect dad for another two days. I am so excited about this. It’s good news. We all need good news. Nine months is a long time to be gone.”

More than a quarter of students at St. Matthews Catholic School in Virginia Beach are part of military families.

“It’s an exciting time, but definitely a difficult time, and hopefully we’ll be there for them for all of that,” said Alyce Steil from the same school.

It was a heartwarming moment, 9 months in the making, but it wasn’t just for 5th grader Brody, with mom Jessica Collins asking “Did we surprise you? Was it a good surprise? Are you happy?”

Navy Chief Michael Collins also surprised their daughter Emeree, while in PE class, then it was a sweet reunion with his youngest child, Morgan – a kindergartener who doesn’t know Chief Michael Collins as a Hospital Corpsman, but as daddy.

“They’re a lot bigger, especially the little one, Morgan. She got huge,” dad Navy Chief Collins said.

He’s looking forward to spending time with the family and enjoying some regular food.