CAMP VICTORY, Iraq — They are separated by a 30-minute helicopter ride but in this war-torn country it might as well be a continent away.

But Sgt. 1st Class Francisco Ramirez and his son, Spc. Donald Ramirez, were given a special Christmas gift — time with each other at dad’s place.

“He called me a day before (Christmas Eve) saying he was coming to visit,” said the 45-year-old father.

Donald, 21, said “It was my unit who was sending people on four-day passes.” Most headed to Qatar, but the younger soldier used the time to be with his dad.

On Wednesday Sgt. 1st Class Francisco aRamirez, 11th Signal Brigade, and his son, Spc. Donald Ramirez, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, talk about their experiences of being deployed in Iraq. Spc. Ramirez, who is stationed at Baquba, Iraq, arranged to come to Camp Victory to visit with his father for a few days. Suzanne Cronn•Herald/Review

Dad remarked, “I was happy. We were trying to get together before we left (Iraq).”

The older Ramirez, who has 22 years in the Army, has a year left on his 15-month deployment, while his son has six months remaining with the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, a Stryker unit out of Fort Lewis, Wash.

Calling Forward Operating Base Warhorse at Baquba home, the former Buena High School baseball pitcher said, like his father, he is a Signal Corps soldier. Francisco is the plans non-commissioned-officer-in-charge for the 11th Signal Brigade. Donald is a 2004 graduate of Buena High School.

“I worry about his safety,” dad said. “But, he’s a good, level-headed kid.”

Christmas day was a time to call family members, especially another son, Donald’s 20-year-old brother Daniel, who works at the Barnes Field House on Fort Huachuca.

Family  members  got  a two-for-one when they answered, dad said — him and Donald.

“We spent most of our time catching up,” Francisco said. “He’s planning to get married.”

As for his future wife — who hasn’t been formally asked to marry him — Donald said “she has a promise ring, as I do.” The ring is on the finger where eventually the wedding band will be after he and Melissa Dangel marry.

For fatherly advice, Francisco told his son “Be good to her and treat her with respect.”

The father and son exchange movies as Christmas gifts, with Donald giving his dad “Knocked Up,” and Francisco giving “War” to his son. The two lived in dad’s billets, as the older Ramirez’s roommate was on leave.

Unlike most GIs at this camp, the Ramirezes did not partake in the Christmas feast at the dining facility.

“We went to Burger King for brunch and had pizza for dinner,” the father said.

The two hadn’t seen each other for more than a year and although Francisco was supposed to retire in June 2008, he pulled his papers to deploy in the hopes of connecting with Donald in  Iraq.

The older Ramirez had only been back from an Iraqi deployment for year before heading out on his current stint.

When he returns in early January  2009,  he  will  resubmit his retirement papers.

As for Donald, whether he will make the Army a career is up in the air. Part of the decision is based on Melissa, he added.

If the answer is yes, then he will re-enlist while in Iraq so his bonus will be tax free.

As for advice from a noncommissioned officer, which is mixed with the feelings of a father, Francisco said he told Donald to find a good NCO “and stay away from the knuckleheads.”

Friday, the two will say their farewells again.

Once more they will be so close yet so far away.

herald/Review senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.