Every day, military parents sacrifice time with their children. These moments are irreplaceable, and one dad knows just how much it means to his daughters. For years, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer James Ring never missed the ‘Father-daughter dance.’

This time, the dance was in jeopardy as James’ assignment called for him to be active the night of the event. He was deployed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, guarding a defense department official.

The 11-year-old twins Faith and Hope thought this year wouldn’t work out. Their dance at the McKeel Academy might be the first one their dad missed. It was the last father-daughter dance at the school for the girls

‘Family is everything. I’ve been in the military and in law enforcement for 19 years, and as a result, I’ve missed quite a few family events,’ the military dad shared. James asked his commanding officer for permission to attend, and it was approved.

James was so excited to surprise them that he said, ‘I feel like a kid. I haven’t slept.’ The girls prepared for the dance wearing sparkling blue dresses with their hair done by their Mom Candi.

The girls had resigned to the fact that they wouldn’t see their dad that night. When the girls arrived, James was hiding in uniform behind a bunch of pink and white balloons. Their mom directed them to go in his direction, and as soon as they saw him, they screamed with joy!

They all embraced and cherished the moment. The girls cried tears of joy, and the special night was saved. James knew that it meant the world to his daughters, and he did everything he could to preserve the family tradition.