A costume disguise could not hide the happiness of a military father, waiting to see his kids after getting back home again.

"I can't wait," said Wauconda U.S. Army Sgt. Christopher Dewitt. "[I] kind of [have] been waiting for this day for the last 11 months."

After nearly a year away in Cuba, Dewitt donned a costume as Leroy the Lobster to talk to summer campers, including his eight-year-old daughter Gemma, about safety tips.

When it was Gemma's turn to meet Leroy, he showed her a lucky toy she'd given him before his deployment and then gave her the surprise of her young life.

Then, at the camp across the street, DeWitt put the lobster head back on to surprise his four-year-old son Colton.

As a civilian, DeWitt is a deputy for the Lake County Sheriff's Department in Illinois.