Nashville, Tenn. ? Johnnie Chennault has no regrets about joining the Navy Reserve, even though it means he’s going to Iraq later this month.

But he does worry about not being around to help take care of his house full of 11 kids.

“Leaving my children, leaving my wife for so long — you’re going to miss all the little things as the kids grow up,” he said.

Chennault and his wife Ronda have a full range of children of all ages growing up at their home in Springfield, a small town about 30 miles north of Nashville: Terr’i, 17; Stephen, 15; Jobie, 14; Joshua, 12; Zakari, 8; Johnnie IV, 7; Mikal, 6; Syerra, 4; Gracee, 3; Jakob, 1; and Nikalus, 8 months.

“Yeah, I have more kids than most people, but I don’t think my kids are any more important to me than somebody who has two kids. His kids are important to him, too. I just have more to miss.”

The Chennaults knew deployment was possible when he joined the Navy’s Construction Battalion, the famed Seabees, two years ago.

Chennault, 29, had inquired about enlisting in the Army, the Air Force, the Marines and the Navy, but they all told him it was against policy to take someone who has that many children to support on a newly enlisted man’s pay. The Navy, however, said that wouldn’t matter if he joined the Reserves.

But with the war in Iraq, his unit was called up for duty, and he leaves today for training at Gulfport, Miss., and then on to Iraq.

“After 9-11 it just seemed like a big need, like there was something else I could do,” Chennault said. “My country has done so much for me and my family — why couldn’t I take a little time out and do something for it.”

Navy reservist Johnnie Chennault and his wife, Ronda, are shown at home with their 11 children, in Springfield, Tenn. From left are, Stephen, 15; Jakob, 2; Jobie, 14; Mikal, 6; Syerra, 4; Gracee, 3; Johnnie IV, 7; Joshua, 12; Zakari, 8; Terri, 17, and 8-month-old Nikalus. Chennault leaves for training and then will be deployed to Iraq.

His employer, Sears, will make up the difference in pay while he’s in Iraq, an assignment Chennault thinks will last seven or eight months.

Chennault’s wife is supportive.

“We go to a really good church, and they talk in there a lot about the husband’s and the wife’s role, what the Bible says is the husband’s and wife’s role,” she explains. “And my role is to support my husband. My mother told me when I got married, ‘Your life is about him, and you need to be there for him.”‘