Capt. Brandy Fargon and Maj. Patrick Malone have spent more time abroad than they have at home during their seven years of marriage.

But both members of the U.S. Army wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Fargon, who grew up in the Oak Harbor and Arlington area, and Malone, a Mesa, Ariz., native, have spent just two years and eight months together as man and wife in the United States during their seven year marriage.

The couple met at Ft. Lewis during Fargon’s junior year of college. They now serve together in the 3rd Infantry Division in northern Iraq.

“I think we saw each other a grand total of 18 days before we got married,” said Malone during a telephone interview from Iraq on Monday, July 12.

Fargon, whose parents Carl and Sandy Fargon still live in Arlington, said that she’s learned to be adaptable at an early age because she was a “Navy brat.”

“I saw not only my parents but other military families, and how hard that was,” Fargon said.

The couple is hoping to celebrate the holidays with family in Arlington. They are planning to visit the Everett marina during their anniversary celebration in Snohomish County.

Malone said it’s possible that they’ll be re-deployed after their stint back in the United States, but added that the couple should be on American soil for at least the next year.

“That will give us a bit of stability,” he said. “We’d like to thank everybody who’s shown us support. The number of care packages we’ve received has been amazing. We’ve gotten a lot of support.”