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Mother, Daughter Who Served Together In Iraq Honored In Rockland

ROCKLAND (CBS) -- Last January, 42-year-old Sergeant Marilyn Gonzalez shipped out to Iraq for a tour of duty. As a member of the Army National Guard attached to the 1166th Transportation Company it would be her job to drive huge supply trucks into Iraq.

She wasn't alone.

She shipped out with her 20-year-old daughter, Specialist Jessica Pedraza, who was also a truck driver.

"I was worried sick when I was on the road and when she was on the road because I knew the roads and what we could encounter as a mom and a solider, it was nerve racking" said Gonzalez.

WBZ-TV's Jonathan Elias reports.

While the two lived in the same barracks they didn't see a lot of each other because they were busy with their orders. They couldn't drive together, or be on the same convoy, but they kept tabs on each other with Facebook postings.

Mom outranked her daughter, but Jessica says that never became an issue. But there were things that were a bit awkward.

"I had to stop calling her mom and get on the military thing and call her Sergeant, or Gonzalez or something like that" Pedraza said.

The two worried about the other while they were driving roads where attacks were common place, but they made it through their tours with no attacks.

They came home on Christmas Eve, and on Tuesday night the Rockland Town Selectmen wanted to thank them publicly for their service.

They were given plaques thanking them for all they've done. A gesture that went a long way for Sergeant Gonzalez.

"It was a big sacrifice to leave my family behind and serve my country and other people taking notice of that feels good."

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