For most people, staying connected with family while deployed means emails, phone calls in port or the odd video chat.
However, Exercise Malabar provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Royal Australian Air Force Corporal Evan Smith and his son, Navy's Able Seaman Oscar Smith, an electronic warfare operator on board HMAS Ballarat.
"Not many people can say they have worked with their dad on an international military exercise," Able Seaman Smith said.
"This is the first international deployment for each of us so getting to experience that together is pretty special."
The father and son met in Guam for the annual Indo-Pacific maritime activity, which occurred November 10-18.
The pair had not seen each other since Corporal Smith's graduation from basic training in July.
Corporal Smith is an Airborne Electronics Analyst posted to 11 Squadron at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide, while Able Seaman Smith's home port is more than 2100km away at Fleet Base West in Western Australia.
"We travelled more than 6000 nautical miles to see each other, rather than taking a three-hour flight back home," Able Seaman Smith said.
Australia participated in Exercise Malabar alongside India, Japan and the United States, contributing Anzac-class frigate HMAS Ballarat and a RAAF P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
'Conducting our first engagement with Ballarat at sea off the coast of Guam, I remember looking down from the P-8 and thinking: Oscar is down there on board an Australian warship.'
Corporal Smith said being deployed with his son was a surreal feeling.
"Conducting our first engagement with Ballarat at sea off the coast of Guam, I remember looking down from the P-8 and thinking: Oscar is down there on board an Australian warship," he said.
"I've always looked up to dad," Able Seaman Smith said.
"He was the one who inspired me to join, so knowing he was up there was really special."
During Ballarat's time alongside after the exercise, the pair wasted no time catching up and exploring Guam.
They enjoyed driving around the island, experiencing the local culture and cuisine, hiking and swimming in the pristine blue waters of the Pacific.
While swapping stories, Corporal Smith joked that he shared a room with one of his RAAF contingent while deployed.
Able Seaman Smith's reply: "I share with 14."
Able Seaman Smith looks forward to posting to Adelaide in 2026 and being closer to his family.
Almost all of them, anyway.
"When we get home, we're all flying to Melbourne to attend my sister's graduation from RAN Recruit School," he said.
"If Mum was excited about Dad and I catching up, she's going to love seeing all three of us together in uniform."
