JBLM soldier returns from Afghanistan to meet 17-year-old daughter for the first time

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Washington — As 160 soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord returned home after a year in Afghanistan, one of them returned to a new arrival – not a baby, but a 17-year-old daughter he never met before Monday.

While deployed in Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Steve Oslin was contacted by an ex-girlfriend, who told him he might have a 17-year-old daughter. He took a paternity test when he was on leave in December, and it confirmed Oslin and the girl were related.

“I’m here to see my dad for the first time,” Julia Segars told KIRO 7 on Monday. “It’s pretty exciting. It’s also kind of scary.”

Segars searched the crowd of soldiers as they marched in.

KIRO 7 cameras spotted Oslin coming out of the crowd to hug his other two children, 6-year-old Aaron and 3-year-old Callie.

Seagers, overcome with emotion, was comforted by Oslin’s wife, Meghan.

Then, the meeting 17 years in the making.

“Hey, kiddo, good to see you,” Oslin said as the two embraced. “Finally. Good to see you.”

Family members captured the moment on video.

“I can’t really describe it,” Seagers said. “It’s just 17 years, and I don’t know.”

“This is the first time I’ve got to see her in person,” Oslin said. “I’ve seen pictures of her, and I knew from the day I saw her and what I know about her that she was mine.”

Meghan Oslin said she has high hopes for the newfound father-daughter relationship.

“My hope for them is that they can have as great a relationship as he already has with our two kids,” she said.

Father and daughter said they’re looking forward to getting to know one another. They started with dinner, since Sgt. Oslin said he was starving after the flight home from Afghanistan.

KIRO