1st Tour For Many In Minn. Guard Deployment To Iraq
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (WCCO) -- Eighty Minnesota National Guard members will leave for a year-long deployment Sunday morning. A send-off ceremony was held at the Armory for the 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion.
At a time when most military families are attending "welcome home" ceremonies, loved ones of the Company B 2-211th are preparing to say goodbye.
"Today, the countdown starts. The next couple of days is going to be the hardest days as you watch the soldiers leave," said Captain Nate Foster.
The soldiers will participate in "Operation New Dawn," the draw-down phase in Iraq. The unit will fly Chinook helicopters to move troops and supplies.
"No parent wants their children to go to war," said Ronald Cathy. Cathy's son is on his third deployment.
Of the 80 who will head overseas, about a third are war veterans.
"It gets harder every time you go. Because there's always that sense of foreboding," said Paul Adamson, who's on his third deployment.
But for most, this is their first deployment.
"I'm pretty comfortable leaving to go do the job, I just don't want to leave my family," said Ryan Czarnetzki.
The Czarnetski family had just gotten a little bigger. Their little girl, Charlie Marie, is three weeks and one day old.
"It's sad, but he's been a help since she's been here and with Skype, we'll communicate that way," said the soldier's wife, Brook Czarnetski.
Skype is a voice and video chat service that's free between computers running Skype.
With loved ones playing such a big part in a soldier's deployment, this unit realizes the importance of their latest mission. They'll use their Chinook helicopters to fly move troops and supplies.
"That's always kind of a good feeling when you're pulling guys out. You know it's going to be their last helicopter ride, even though you're stuck there a little while," said Adamson. "When you come back from a deployment, you feel like a million bucks."
The soldiers will first head to Fort Hood, Texas for two months of training. They'll then head to Iraq for a 10 month deployment.
