SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — It’s a reunion almost a year in the making — a New Jersey father returned home from deployment Wednesday.

He traveled across the world to surprise his kids at school.

It’s not every day a police-led escort rolls into school in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, but then again, it’s not every day an Army captain surprises his kids back home.

Nine-year-old twins, Reland and Spencer Moore, thought their school was conducting a typical emergency evacuation drill, not realizing their dad, Army Cpt. Patrick Moore, was going to come out of one of the police cars.

“I just saw his face right away and then I walked up,” Spencer said.

The stunned twins say they didn’t believe it was him at first but then couldn’t stop hugging him.

“I don’t think I’ll be let go anytime soon,” Cpt. Patrick Moore said.

Moore was deployed in southwest Asia for 11 months. It’s his third deployment and the second one his kids have had to endure. Now, he’s safely back home again.

“Happy and surprised,” Reland said.

“Last time, she just gave him the side eye,” Spencer said.

For 14 years, Moore has put his life on the line as a member of the Army. He says being far away never gets easy, but you have to “just get through it every day. There’s a lot to keep you busy.”

Though he always found time to call or FaceTime his family.

“Technology is a lot better than it used to be, so I was able to call literally every day,” Moore said.

“He never missed a day. Even if he was traveling or something, we did not miss a day,” Michele Moore, Patrick Moore’s wife, said.

Now that he’s home, he probably won’t miss another hug either.

Cpt. Patrick Moore doesn’t know if or when he will be deployed again. He does know, however, he will be celebrating his twin’s birthday this weekend. He missed their actual birthday last month.