DEAN SENSUI / DSENSUI@STARBULLETIN.COM Radiomen Darryl Joseph, left, and Corey Weber waved goodbye to relatives yesterday from aboard the USS Hopper.

Friends sail for
first and last time

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com

For two Hopper radiomen, this deployment will mark a minor milestone in their naval careers.

This will be the first time Petty Officer Corey Weber, 32, will be spending six months at sea during his 14-year career.

"I guess we were just lucky," said his wife, Joan.

The couple have lived in the islands since 1988.

But for his close friend, Petty Officer Darryl Joseph, this will be his fifth and probably last deployment since he hopes to retire in four years after 20 years in the Navy.

DEAN SENSUI / DSENSUI@STARBULLETIN.COM Families waved as the USS Hopper left Pearl Harbor yesterday for six months.

His wife, Teri, said deployments don't get any easier with time, although the first time he left for sea 12 years ago was probably the hardest. "The first was probably the worst," she said. "He was gone and that is when Brett (her eldest) was born."

Joan Weber said: "You really can't prepare for a deployment except to be positive and be happy. That will make time go faster."

The two wives said the their husbands are the best of friends, both taking part-time jobs together at Wal-Mart before they were assigned to the Hopper two years ago. Zachery Weber, the couple's 9-year-old son, said he'll miss his "best friend and best buddy" -- his dad -- he helps him with his homework and plays basketball, baseball and soccer with him.