Peters, 64, has been one of the last people that about 20, 000 soldiers so far have seen before boarding the plane for the war zone -- and one of the first seen upon return.

CNN: Veteran to soldiers: 'It's OK to be scared'

To prevent that, controllers must keep a hockey-puck-shaped safety zone at least 5 kilometers in diameter and 300 meters thick around each plane.

FORBES: Free flight

The child-free area, called the "Quiet Zone, " has softer lighting and is sectioned off from the rest of the plane by toilets and bulkheads, the theory being you won't be able to hear the kids who are toward the back of the plane.

CNN: Kid-free 'Quiet Zones' launched on airline