If anyone had told Simon he would need to come to base with his three-year-old son, he might have shot them in the face.

And yet, here he was, unable to find a babysitter, and was forced to participate in Take Your Kid To Work Day.

It was comical, seeing Simon, the big, scary soldier, carrying a small, sweet-looking child. When he saw you, he gave a gruff nod, as if he were working and not cradling a little ball of sunshine. "Hey," he muttered.