Little Aline C么t茅 leaves her motherB次元官网网址檚 embrace and, with squeals of delight, toddles into her fatherB次元官网网址檚 arms.

B次元官网网址淪he loves when daddy comes home,B次元官网网址� says proud mom, Olga Minko.

When navy Lt. Rob C么t茅 arrives home from work at CFB Esquimalt each day, their 11-month-old totters back and forth between her doting parents, practising her newfound walking abilities.

B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檒l miss the most,B次元官网网址� Minko says.

C么t茅 is soaking up every minute of family life he can before he leaves for the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast aboard HMCS Vancouver, likely on Sunday (July 10). He will miss his only childB次元官网网址檚 first birthday in August, but says he feels fortunate to have witnessed Aline take her first steps two weeks ago.

B次元官网网址淚 was happy not to miss that,B次元官网网址� says C么t茅.

Despite the difficulty of leaving his family for six or seven months, he is looking forward to putting his training into action.

B次元官网网址淚t is a bittersweet feeling,B次元官网网址� says C么t茅, a shipborne air controller on Vancouver. When the shipB次元官网网址檚 Sea King helicopter goes out on patrols, the flight crew will radio information back to C么t茅 on the vessel.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e affecting change,B次元官网网址� C么t茅 says of his work. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檝e signed up to do.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 not without its sacrifices. Crew members have 15 minutes of satellite telephone time every three days, plus Internet access, but there may be times when communications are restricted for security reasons.

B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 the hardest part of sailing, and thereB次元官网网址檚 things that go through your mind (about the danger the ship may face),B次元官网网址� says Minko, who plans to focus on helping Aline remember her father with family pictures taped on the walls at toddler height. C么t茅 has also recorded stories and songs for his little girl so she can hear his voice.

B次元官网网址淲e stay positive,B次元官网网址� says Minko.

To help, families will be regularly briefed throughout the mission and the Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre has several services for families of deployed personnel. Each ship, including Vancouver, has an email network for families and childrenB次元官网网址檚 deployment workshops, social gatherings for spouses or partners and free respite childcare are available.

Minko already has deployment handbooks at the ready to learn what she may experience before, during and after her husbandB次元官网网址檚 deployment.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 grieving, that feeling of loss,B次元官网网址� Minko says, adding that knowing what to expect helps. B次元官网网址淣o matter how much you prepare you would still go through a cycle of emotions.B次元官网网址�

The Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre can be reached 24 hours a day at 250-363-2640, or by visiting www.esquimaltmfrc.com.

More mission details are expected to be revealed on Sunday, prior to the shipB次元官网网址檚 departure.

emccracken@vicnews.com

Mission details

B次元官网网址� Crew: 250 personnel, including Sea King helicopter air detachment

B次元官网网址� Boarding party: 20 member-team; boards, secures and searches ships for drugs and weapons.

B次元官网网址� Ship, crew preparation: Non-stop training for the past month.

B次元官网网址� Travel time: Two to three weeks.

B次元官网网址� Deployment: Six to seven months.

B次元官网网址�&苍产蝉辫;Mission: Enforce UN-backed arms sea embargo and no-fly zone over Libya.