Oklahoma Soldier Reunites With Daughter After Nearly A Year Overseas

Captain Dustin Gabbert has been away from his family for more than a year, deployed in the Middle East at Camp Buehring in Kuwait with the Army National Guard.

Gabbert returned to Oklahoma Monday morning. 

Seven-year-old Joanna knew she was going to see her father Monday, but she didn't see the surprise coming, when her father showed up at her school, Stillwater Christian School.

Gabbert left from Tulsa in October of 2019. He spent 10 months in Kuwait away from Mary, his wife of nine years, and daughters Joanna and four-year-old Lily.

The time away made even longer when he had to quarantine for three weeks in Texas at Fort Hood, following his deployment overseas.

"Everything just took longer than it was supposed to, and felt even longer than that," Gabbert said.

But it was all smiles on Monday.

"They've grown up a lot. They're both taller, both bigger. They're still my little girls," Gabbert said.

What's next for Dustin? More travelling, but this time he gets to take his family with him.

They're leaving for vacation in Colorado next month.