Members of the 639th Quartermaster Company said goodbye to loved ones inside the Montana National Guard's Aviation Support Facility, then walked across the snow-covered tarmac at the Helena Regional Airport to board a 737 chartered from Southwest Airlines.
Before the troops moved single file through the morning darkness to board the Southwest jet, Lt. Erik Oberg of Missoula stood with his wife and children for a family portrait.
“It's nice to look out and see all the support,” Oberg said. “I see the lieutenant governor is here. I see generals are here. It makes you feel we have the support behind us as we go out there and do this.”
“I'm proud of my husband,” added his wife, Sabrina. “But it's going to be a tough year for us.”
Some children were still dressed in their pajamas as the soldiers and their families began arriving at the facility shortly before 3 a.m. Some filled the morning with laughter while others held their children closely and embraced their wives and husbands one last time before departing.
Maj. Gen. John Walsh, adjutant general of the Montana National Guard, said the Quartermaster Company has spent the past 12 months training for its new mission. The company has elements based in Libby, Kalispell and Havre, with soldiers assigned from across the state.
“When they get into Iraq, they'll be providing logistical support to other units,” Walsh said. “Without that logistical support, those units wouldn't be able to accomplish the mission's they've been tasked to do.”
The 639th's early morning departure marked the largest deployment of Montana troops since early in the war, when nearly 1,400 state soldiers were activated on federal orders.
Members of the 143rd Military Police Company, which like the 639th also deployed to Iraq in 2003, have already reached their mobilization station at Fort Dix, N.J., in preparation for a second overseas mission.
Walsh said other Montana units will also return to Iraq for a second mission in the coming weeks and months, including about 65 soldiers with A Company, 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion.
“We have another unit leaving later in the month, and a couple more that have received their alert notice for training,” said Walsh. “They'll start conducting that training in preparation for deploying to Iraq.”
“I just want to get started,” said Sgt. Marcus McDowell, a Helena soldier. “We've known for over a year we were going to be deployed.”
McDowell held his two young daughters and embraced his wife, Mallory, kissing her softly upon the forehead. The family huddled together until the unit was called to formation for a final head count.
“I just want to get started and get back to these guys,” McDowell said. “I'm glad the kids hopefully won't be remembering this.”
Watch a video of the 639th Quartermaster Company leaving Helena- http://www.helenair.com/video/?dl=http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2009/01/07/top/top/50st_090107_deploy.flvReporter Martin Kidston can be reached at (406) 447-4086 or at mkidston@helenair.com.
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J. Lund wrote on Jan 8, 2009 5:32 PM: