By DAVID VITRANO

and ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Charles Floyd III, a kindergartener at Emily C. Watkins School in LaPlace, got an early Christmas present this week when his father, Marine Cpl. Charles Floyd Jr., made a surprise appearance at the school Tuesday morning.

The elder Floyd has spent the last 11 months engrossed with fellow military men and women in Afghanistan. The short break, which only lasts seven days, is his first since February.

“The hardest part for me was being away from my son for so long,” Floyd said. “I was afraid that maybe he wouldn’t recognize me, but right when I walked in he lit up.”

Floyd, who ships out again Sunday, said his week at home has been spent with his son and wife Gail at their home in LaPlace.

He also said he has been doing his best to catch up with some of his favorite local traditions.

“My first meal when I got back home was from Popeyes,” Floyd said. “I’m also going to get a huge shrimp po-boy this afternoon.”

Floyd said he needs some extra time with his 6-year-old son. He said visiting him at school brought back great memories of growing up in the St. John School system.

“I’m really impressed by his school,” Floyd said of Emily C. Watkins. “Some of the teachers there are some of the ones I had when I was growing up.”

Floyd said he and Charles III would be making time for beignets and a trip to see Celebration in the Oaks at New Orleans City Park. Since he doesn’t have much time, Floyd said he wants to make every minute count.

“I wasn’t given much notice of time off, so I had to get a last minute ticket,” Floyd said. “It was worth every penny.”

Floyd said he joined the Marines in June 2005 after graduating from East St. John High School to help take care of his son. What little communication he has with his family has been through phone calls, instant messages and Skype video communications.

“We send post cards back and forth sometimes, but it is hard when we are on the move,” Floyd said. “Charles doesn’t quite grasp it yet. He is still so young.”

Since 2005, Floyd said he has been stationed in South Carolina, Japan, Iraq and Afghanistan. He said he left the area before LaPlace and the rest of St. John Parish experienced the population boom from Hurricane Katrina.

“When I left, LaPlace was really just a small community,” Floyd said. “I come back and I see how much it has grown – it’s surreal to me. Everywhere I’ve been is nothing like home. I miss it dearly. To come back here to the nice weather and southern accents – it’s all good to me.”

Floyd said his current enlistment with the Marines ends in 2012 and then he hopes to return home to St. John Parish for good.

He said his future plans are to enroll in the police academy to become a St. John sheriff’s deputy.

“I’ve given time to everyone everywhere else,” Floyd said. “Now it is time to give back to the place where I’m from. I want to be here. It is what my family wants.”