Sailor Dad Returns Home From Final Deployment Of 30-Year Career To Surprise Kids

A sailor dad who has served in the military for more than 30 years gave his kids one final surprise homecoming as he returned from his final ever deployment. The surprise reunions marked the end of a 33-year military journey for Navy Captain Edwin “Ned” Smith. He started working on the surprises with his wife, Brittany Smith, 43, who was back home in Apollo Beach, Florida, and looking after their eight kids. Ned, 55, a Captain in the United States Navy, finally returned home from his third unaccompanied deployment in the last decade – a deployment that had lasted 18 months – last September. Brittany secretly orchestrated everything, Ned said, adding: “She has made every deployment homecoming epic for everyone involved. This final act was probably her best.” Once the Navy gave the family Ned’s return date, Brittany began coordinating with school officials to create a three-stop homecoming across their county.

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