WAHIAWA — Just after 7:45 last night, the Leilehua High School football field erupted into a mass of shrieks, tears, laughter, balloons, air horns and hugs as parents and friends poured from the stands to congratulate about 400 graduating seniors.

Derrick Pusey's congratulations to his daughter, Derique, came from 8,000 miles away and in different garb, a combat uniform, and with a much different backdrop, green camouflage netting.

"Derique, I want you to know that I'm proud and I'm so happy for you," the Army master sergeant said from Contingency Operating Base Speicher, northwest of Baghdad. "This is a great accomplishment for you, and for me, to see you make this first step entering into your adulthood."

About 22 graduating seniors received surprise video messages from deployed parents during a rehearsal yesterday in the school gym.

Amid the tremendous joy of the big day, it was a reminder of the tremendous separation endured by Schofield Barracks families. More than 7,000 soldiers are nine to 10 months into a 15-month deployment to northern Iraq.

"I'm an Army brat, so I'm used to my dad being away, but not on big occasions like this," said Derique Pusey, standing on the football field in her green cap and gown and holding a balloon that said "Congratulations!"

Her father also was gone for her 18th birthday.

The video was a surprise, and "I cried, of course," the 18-year-old from North Carolina said.

She talks to her father on the phone, but there is always the worry.

"He said it (the danger) is worse than what you see on the news," she said. She added that she tries not to worry "and there is happiness because I know he is OK after seeing the video."

Alysia Black, also 18, received a written message on the video from her father, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Charles Black.

While the video showed a photograph of her father, the words said he was proud of her, and "I love and miss you and I will see you soon."

The emotion was just beneath the surface in the 16-minute video, which featured backdrop music including Israel Kamakawi-wo'ole's "Over the Rainbow."

One sergeant first class started to choke up, telling his son, "I'll see you in about four months."

Pusey's family moved to Hawai'i in 2005, and it was her second year at Leilehua. It was Black's first year at the high school.

Black, who is from Alaska, said it "felt really good" to hear the video message from her father "because I miss him a lot. I'm really close with my dad. He understands me better, so it felt really good to see him."

Teresa Black, Alysia's mom, who was at the graduation along with the senior's grandmother, said "it's hard, but we're proud of her and of her father."

Charles Black has been in the Army for 22 years. Teresa said with the family that was present, "we're just thankful to be together."

Similar video messages, prepared by the military, were prepared for graduation ceremonies at Mililani and Radford high schools.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.