Zita Yellowmule, left, and daughter Denica, right, stand by Emma Yellowmule with photos of Pfc. John Yellowmule displayed behind them.
After an 18-month tour in Iraq with the U.S. Army and a short stay in Hawaii with his unit, Pfc. John Yellowmule will return to his family, horses and home in Wyola for a visit.
The family is expecting him this evening and his stay will last two
weeks, said his sister Zita Yellowmule. When the visit ends, he might
return to Iraq for another six-month tour, the last in his four-year
military contract.
"I thought it was dangerous over there but he didn't seem to care," she
said. "We don't have to worry about that for a while now that he's
back."
Featured on a wall near the family's dining table is an American flag
with a photo of Pfc. Yellowmule's unit. A second photo shows him
standing alone in front of a flag and in uniform. He has spent the bulk
of his recent Iraq tour in Kurkur, located in the country's northern
region.
Emma Yellowmule, the mother of Pfc. Yellowmule, smiles at the mention
of her son, revealing her pride. And though she wants him home, she
said he is considering re-enlistment after his current contract ends,
which worries her.
Zita sides with her mom, expressing that she hopes her brother, who was
a tribal police officer before enlisting, will weigh out other options,
like applying for a job with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
"It's dangerous but I believe in it 100 percent," Zita said of her brother's work. "I think he's fighting for our country."
The last time Yellowmule visited was in May, a stay that also lasted
two weeks. "You could tell he was stressed when he came back," Zita
said.
In December, when he is back on his family's land, Pfc. Yellowmule, who
is 35, plans on tending to his 10 horses, one of which is new, Zita
said. The family plans to have a dinner for his clan aunts and uncles.
"We will ask them for prayers," Zita said. "We are relieved he's alright."
Editor's note: If you are currently serving in the armed services,
or have friends and family in Iraq or Afghanistan, we welcome your
words, stories and photos on this news site. Please send an e-mail to
editor@crownews.net, call (406)243-4001 or send a fax to (406)545-3953.
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