Laura Jimenez\u2019s touching video, titled \u201cMy Heart Back Home,\u201d featured Jimenez and her young son welcoming home her husband, Sgt. 1st<\/sup> Class Jesus Jimenez, from a yearlong deployment to U.S. Forward Operation Base Shank in Afghanistan. Laura Jimenez received a $10,000 Exchange gift card for her entry, one of 672 homecoming photo and video submissions the Exchange received for the contest.<\/p>\n \u201cWinning the contest is wonderful,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cI\u2019m blessed, especially because my husband returned home safely.\u201d<\/p>\n The video featured black-and-white photos of Jimenez and her son, Leonardo, who was born just 26 days before Sgt. Jimenez deployed. Photos of Jimenez and her husband on their wedding day and other images of the couple were shown as well. The end of the video captured footage of the family reuniting when Sgt. Jimenez returned to Fort Drum, N.Y., where the family was previously stationed. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLaura Jimenez is a shining example of the support military spouses provide to our service members,\u201d said Exchange spokesman Lt. Col. Antwan C. Williams. \u201cHer video captured the homecoming experience beautifully, and the images also showed how emotional a deployment is for military families.\u201d<\/p>\n The Fort Bliss Exchange honored the Jimenezes with a ceremony to present them with their prize.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHanding out the $10,000 prize was such a thrill,\u201d said Fort Bliss General Manager Ray Emils. \u201cThe Jimenez family is incredible. They\u2019re good people, and I\u2019m honored we were able to give them something tangible for their sacrifices for our country.\u201d<\/p>\n Laura Jimenez\u2019s sister, Lola Gomez, a photography student at Daytona State College in Florida, created the winning video as part of a class project. Gomez gave the video to Jimenez as a gift, and Jimenez then entered it in the Exchange\u2019s Homeward Bound contest. Jimenez is using some of her winnings to buy her sister a computer and camera lenses.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my sister\u2019s work,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cShe did everything.\u201d<\/p>\n The family is spending the rest of the prize on everyday necessities, such as gas, dry cleaning and household goods.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing a military spouse is a hard job, but I\u2019m pleased to do it. I\u2019m proud of my husband, and I love being there to support him when he needs me,\u201d Jimenez said.\u00a0<\/p>\n — 30 —<\/p>\n The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is a joint nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors which is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. \u00a0The Exchange has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with quality merchandise and services at competitively low prices and generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military morale, welfare and recreation programs. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our Web site at http:\/\/www.shopmyexchange.com<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n Media Notes:<\/b><\/p>\n For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Julie Mitchell, 214-312-3327 <\/p>\n\t<\/a><\/span> or mitchelljul@aafes.com.<\/p>\n