LA GRANDE — When ordinary couples say they have things in common, they’re usually talking about a love for walks on the beach, candlelight dinners or rock ’n’ roll music.

When Chris McKaig and his wife, Jade, talk about things that bind them together, time in service and the war in Afghanistan are likely to come up.

The two have known each other almost 15 years and got married in January 2011. By that time, Chris, a U.S. Army paratrooper and infantryman, had been through two tours in Afghanistan and survived the bloody and famous Battle of Wanat. Jade had been trained by the Oregon Army National Guard as an aviation operations specialist, and had done a tour in Afghanistan as well.

“We crossed paths lots of times,” Jade said. “He said goodbye to me as I was going to Afghanistan in 2005, and I said goodbye to him when he went in 2009.”

Chris McKaig, 37, was born in New Jersey but moved to La Grande with his parents, Pat and Irene McKaig, in 1991. He graduated from La Grande High school in 1992, and joined the Army soon after.

He trained as an airborne infantryman at Fort Benning, Ga., and also went to the Army’s Air Assault school at Fort Stewart, Ga. He was discharged in 1996, but later decided to go back. In June 2007, he signed up for another hitch.

By December 2007, he was assigned to Company C (Chosen Company), 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. His unit was deployed to Afghanistan in 2008. In July of that year, he fought in the Battle of Wanat, where nine soldiers, including some of his closest friends, died. For actions that day, he received a Bronze Star.

Jade McKaig, formerly Jade Seale, grew up in La Grande and joined the Oregon National Guard in 2001, not long after her graduation from the local high school. She took basic training, then went through advanced training at Fort Rucker, Ala. She then worked as a full-time flight operations specialist for Detachment 1, Delta Company, 113th Aviation in Pendleton.

As a Guard soldier, she drilled with the Salem-based 1042nd Air Ambulance Company, which uses Blackhawk helicopters in its operations. She served with that unit in Afghanistan in 2005, dispatching and tracking medical missions.

“I enjoyed my time in service. I felt that our mission as the medevac unit for Oregon was important,” he said.

She got out of the Guard in 2007. Chris continued in the service. Stationed with the 503rd in Italy, he reconnected with Jade on Facebook, and before he left for a second tour in Afghanistan in 2009, she flew to Italy to visit him. They enjoyed 10 days together in Venice before Chris returned to war.

The second tour, he said, was quieter than the first.

“It wasn’t very kinetic, not many firefights,” he said.

Chris came home to La Grande during the 2010-11 holiday season, when the couple decided to get married.

“Nothing was official between us till Christmas Eve at her parents’ home, when I asked her to marry me. She said ‘yes’ and I became the happiest man at that moment,” Chris said.

When Chris’ leave was up, he and his bride returned to Italy. A transfer out of the 503rd was in the cards, but Chris had some business related to the Battle of Wanat to finish first.

Not long after the couple returned to Italy, they learned that Frankie Gay, the father of Cpl. Rainey Pruitt, one of the men who died at Wanat, was putting together a documentary on the battle.

A crew came to Italy to interview Chosen Company veterans. Spouses and family members, including Jade, were interviewed as well.

The Wanat battle, where a Chosen Company platoon fought off as many as 200 Taliban insurgents, has received extensive media coverage. Chris said he’s spoken with reporters and writers about it before, but this experience was different.

The film, titled “Dealin’, ” and as yet unreleased, works to get into the hearts and minds of the participants.

“We went into a conference room for the filming, and it was pretty informal but it was pretty tough, too,” Chris said. “I always talked about the tactics but never much about my feelings. It was hard to tell the media and the world about those things.”

The McKaigs have been in La Grande earlier this month, enjoying some leave time before they head for Fort Campbell, Ky., where Chris will join the 101st Airborne.

Chris said it was hard for him to leave Chosen Company, the unit he’d served with through two difficult tours in Afghanistan. But on the other hand, the time seemed right.

“It’s a healing decision to move on to a new time and a new beginning,” he said.

Jade said her own military experience has given her an edge in adjusting to the role of Army wife. Active duty is different from Guard service in many ways, but some things never change.

“I know the sense of camaraderie. I feel the sense of community, and I am proud of our service,” she said.

By now Chris McKaig has logged nine years in the Army, and plans to make it a career. When he is done, he and his wife plan to come back to La Grande for good.

“This is our home, the only place to be,” Chris said.