Army National Guard soldiers from Alpha Co., 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry departed from the Warsaw Armory at 7 a.m. today.
The buses carrying the soldiers drove through downtown Warsaw in order for the public to wave them on in support.
Alpha Co. will spend 10 days training at Camp Atterbury, Edingburgh, Ind.; spend Christmas and New Year's with their families; then depart to Fort Stewart, Ga., from Indianapolis on Jan. 2 for mobilization certification. After 60 to 90 days of active duty training in Georgia, the guardsmen will deploy to Iraq in support of the global war on terrorism as part of the 76th Infantry Brigade.
Alpha Co. includes approximately 100 soldiers from the Warsaw and Peru area, and 50 other soldiers from other parts of the state.
Tuesday night, the soldiers shared a meal with their families at the Warsaw Armory. The guardsmen also heard local civic leaders and businessmen speak.
Alpha Co. Capt. Kyle Baer told the soldiers and their families that Tuesday night was the last time they were going to be in the Warsaw community as a unit and as part of the community before they head off to training. Baer thanked everyone for being there.
For Private 1st Class Kyle Flumbaum, 19, Syracuse, this will be his first deployment.
"I'm looking forward to serving my country and doing the best I can, to help the mission," he said. "... I really don't know what to expect, I've never really done it before."
He said his joined the National Guard because he just "wanted to serve and do something to be proud of."
Kyle's wife of one month, Jessie, 19, said she just wants him to be OK. "I'm really scared about (him going)," she said. She said they will send letters and e-mail to each other as much as possible.
Marsha Delinsky, Pierceton, was at the dinner to support her nephew, Private Jon Zeisig, 22.
"I just hope that the Lord watches over them and I thank them all for defending our freedom," she said. "And to return home safely."
She said people at home can support the troops while they are deployed overseas. "Keep them in their prayers. Get involved in the (military) community, the family that is left behind," Delinsky said.
Like Flumbaum, Zeisig is going on his first deployment. He said it's "just kind of exciting to see things and places." He joined the National Guard 1-1/2 years ago "to better myself, to see new things, defend my country," he said.
Specialist Luke Gibson, 22, Warsaw, shared the dinner with his 5-month-old son, Trake; his wife of 1-1/2 years, Amber; and his parents and grandparents.
Duane Spangle, Luke's grandfather, said, "If it's necessary he has to go out, I'm proud of him."
Spangle said this war is different than the other wars he's seen in his 70 years because it's fighting terrorists, not a country. But it's still "evil we have to fight." Spangle said he's had brothers, uncles and cousins who have served, but Gibson is his first grandson. That makes him more proud.
"I'm very proud of him," Spangle said. "He's been good from little up. No problems."
The deployment will be Luke's first. "I'm excited about going. It's something I've always wanted to do," he said.
Amber said they will write e-mails and letters as often as they can, but she said she expected he'll hear more often from her then vice versa.
While Luke is away, Amber said family definitely will help her, as will the Family Readiness Group. What time Luke and Amber have before he is deployed overseas is most important, she said.
Luke said that the holiday break will give the soldiers and their families the chance to make sure they are prepared for the year-long deployment, and to take care of anything they didn't take care of before training.
"The biggest thing for myself is that my family is taken care of," said Luke.
Sgt. 1st Class Scott Atwater, 36, Topeka, first was deployed to support the war in 2003. "This will be different for me," he said. "I was in a totally different position."
For his first deployment, Atwater was a nuclear/biological/chemical non-commissioned officer. He had to make sure units were prepared for any such encounter. Now, Atwater said he's returned to the infantry and his job is to make sure his platoon is ready.
"The second time is harder," Atwater said.
During the first go-round, he said he didn't have any kids and he was only married a year. This time, he has two children, and he and his wife have been married more than five years. He also has a "decent-paying job" now and he started taking over his dad's farm. With this deployment, he's being ripped out of that job, his family and the farming. But, he said, he signed on the dotted line and knew what he was getting into.
His wife, he said, "handles it very well. My mom will have a tougher time than she will."
