Somewhere in Germany, two men of the 3rd Corps Support Command are wearing an armful of hair ties.

Adam Graaf and Dave Lindley both left for Germany Jan. 26 with a gift of hair ties to remind them of their girlfriends, Nicole Frank and Angie Gordon. “You have to do the little things,” said Gordon, senior in graphic design.

Both women knew their loved ones were possibly going be deployed only a week before they had to leave. They said doing things to support their boyfriends help, and they’ve found support in each other and their Christian faith.

“I have never prayed this much in my life,” said Frank, senior in advertising.

Frank and Graaf, junior in English, knew each other during high school in Johnston. They did not become a couple until Frank’s junior year of college, when they had a class together and began talking.

They have now been together for almost a year. “Our anniversary is in three weeks,” Frank said.

Lindley and Gordon have been dating for two years and three months. Lindley graduated from Iowa State in December 2000, and is now working in real estate.

Sergeant First Class Christopher Larsen, military spokesman in Des Moines, said the 3rd Corps Support Command, or COSCOM, has not yet been mobilized and is in Germany for annual training. Larsen said they should be there for about 30 days.

Graaf’s roommate, Ben Carruthers, said he didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to Graff, who he called a fun roommate.

“He was real sarcastic and joking,” said Carruthers, senior in horticulture.

Carruthers said given a minute to speak directly to Graaf, he would “thank him and others like him that are protecting our freedom.”

Frank also expressed pride in her boyfriend.

“As hard as it is to adjust, I’m so proud that he’s doing [a service] for our country. I’m proud to display that I have a loved one overseas,” she said.

Both women said they have received an incredible amount of support.

“It’s comforting to know you’re not going through this alone,” Frank said.

Frank and Gordon receive phone calls from their boyfriends at random times, so both of them carry their cell phones constantly.

The men also left things for their girlfriends to remember them by. Gordon said she wears a sweetheart pin and Lindley’s dog tags. Frank said she carries a small album of pictures of her and Graaf constantly.

Music is also comforting to Gordon and Frank. “As we were saying goodbye, he quoted a line from U2’s ‘Walk On’,” Gordon said.

Frank said she listens to Counting Crows, one of Graaf’s favorite bands, on her way to school and once she gets home.

Both also have mixed CDs of songs representing their relationships.

“The hardest thing is not being able to just call them up [during the day],” Gordon said.

As they wait for their loved ones to come home, Frank and Gordon said they dream of doing the simple things they used to do with their boyfriends.

“I wouldn’t want to do anything but be with him,” Frank said.

Gordon said she wants the same thing.

“I just want to be in the same room [with him] with no distractions,” she said.