▁▁ ▁B iden ▁joined ▁the ▁military ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Del aware ▁Army ▁National ▁Guard ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁Major ▁in ▁the ▁Judge ▁Adv oc ate ▁General ' s ▁Corps ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 6 1 st ▁Sign al ▁Brigade ▁in ▁S my r na , ▁Del aware . ▁ ▁B iden ' s ▁unit ▁was ▁activ ated ▁to ▁deploy ▁to ▁Ira q ▁on ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁sent ▁to ▁Fort ▁Bl iss , ▁Texas , ▁for ▁pre - deploy ment ▁training , ▁the ▁day ▁after ▁his ▁father ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁president ial ▁campaign ' s ▁only ▁vice ▁president ial ▁debate . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁record ▁as ▁saying , ▁" I ▁don ' t ▁want ▁him ▁going . ▁But ▁I ▁tell ▁you ▁what , ▁I ▁don ' t ▁want ▁my ▁grand son ▁or ▁my ▁grand d augh ters ▁going ▁back ▁in ▁ 1 5 ▁years , ▁and ▁so ▁how ▁we ▁leave ▁makes ▁a ▁big ▁difference ." ▁ ▁B iden ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁from ▁Ira q ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁for ▁the ▁president ial ▁inaug uration ▁and ▁his ▁father ' s ▁swe aring - in ▁as ▁Vice ▁President , ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁Ira q . ▁B iden ▁received ▁a ▁visit ▁at ▁Camp ▁Vict ory ▁from ▁his ▁father ▁on ▁July ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁B iden ▁returned