Spokane7
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September 26, 2011 in City
Recently back from Iraq, Guard members play for day at Silverwood
Idaho Army National Guardsman Brian Dalka smiles at his 11-month-old daughter, Austyn, with his daughter Shylah, 4, left, and wife, Jessica, at a welcome-home celebration Sunday for guardsmen and -women at Silverwood Theme Park in North Idaho.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
Brian Dalka was in Iraq with the Idaho Army National Guard during his second daughter’s birth. “But I heard it over the phone,” Dalka said.
Dalka, his wife and two daughters enjoyed a picnic lunch Sunday hosted by Silverwood Theme Park for returning soldiers in the 116th Brigade Combat Team, 145th and 126th Bravo and Alpha units stationed at Post Falls. Nearly 500 guardsmen and -women accompanied by family members attended the free event, described by organizers as a gesture to thank them for their service.
Dalka, 38, returned home Sept. 1 after a yearlong deployment. He’s learning new tidbits about his baby daughter every day.
“She likes green beans,” he said as she gobbled a few. “I didn’t know that.”
About 1,500 Idaho Army National Guardsmen were deployed to Iraq last year, including 400 from North Idaho, said Col. Tim Marsano, a spokesman. Most of the 116th Brigade came home this month. The men and women were in Iraq supporting Operation New Dawn; the name signifies the end of combat operations.
The soldiers helped provide protection as military materials were moved in and out of Iraq, and they provided perimeter security around places such as Camp Victory, a military compound in Baghdad. They also oversaw compound operations, Marsano said, “dealing with everything from making sure the people who stayed there had a place to sleep and eat to making sure they had the appropriate identification.”
On Sunday, handshakes and hugs were abundant as the soldiers encountered one another again.
“It’s the first time he’s seen some of his (military) buddies” in a year, said Christina Hoefling, whose husband, Matthew, returned from Iraq on Sept. 11.
But members of the 116th were also missing two fellow soldiers killed during the deployment. Spc. Nicholas W. Newby, 20, and Spc. Nathan R. Beyers, 24, both of Coeur d’Alene, died July 7 after their convoy was attacked.
Hoefling said he knew Beyers well. “I think we’ve all come to grips with it now, but every once in a while there are little reminders. I try not to think about it.”
Besides coping with the losses of their peers, returning soldiers face other challenges. “They need to reintegrate with their families, and that can be a challenge,” Marsano said. “They may have medical or other issues that we are working to follow up with.”
Perhaps the most urgent concern, “nearly a third of these soldiers are in need of employment,” Marsano said.
The Idaho Army National Guard is working to pair soldiers and employers through a program dubbed Hire One Vet – Hire One Hero.
Dalka is unemployed. He plans to get his commercial driver’s license to drive a truck, but he’s not in a rush. For now, he’s enjoying spending time with his family.
“They are extremely happy to be home,” Marsano said. “We in the Idaho National Guard are making every effort to make sure they feel welcome.”
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Albert on September 26 at 7:03 a.m.
Thank you Silverwood for kindness and thank you Troops!!! for your service. The Lord’s blessings upon you and your families.
wheels on September 26 at 7:17 a.m.
Thank you Nortons and all Silverwood employees for this act of kindness and support for our troops.You people are a class act.
The_Seer on September 26 at 7:57 a.m.
These are murderous pawns of a corrupt government engaging in an illegal war built upon lies and willful deception.
They don’t deserve respect or honor, only derision.
SpokyDaBear on September 26 at 8:00 a.m.
Thank you returning troops for your service. Without your selfless sacrifice we would not have the freedoms we have today and the idiot we currently have in the Whitehouse.
jddavis on September 26 at 9:10 a.m.
Seer—you should be thankful instead of envious of these fine Americans, they actually served in the military.
“These are murderous pawns”
“They don’t deserve respect or honor, only derision.”
The folks at the SR won’t let me respond to your statements appropriately. No matter, you already know.
norpass on September 26 at 9:51 a.m.
Col. Tim Marsano says, “nearly a third of these soldiers are in need of employment…”
Welcome home guys. Your sacrifice is appreciated. Your service? Yeah, maybe not so much. However, hang in there guys as the Obama is going to gin up another war soon enough. Can we all say Pakistan? I knew we all could.
The_Seer on September 26 at 11:46 a.m.
jddavis: I am a veteran. U.S. Navy Submarine officer. How about you?
That’s what I thought. Another armchair patriot. Respond to that.
jddavis on September 26 at 12:07 p.m.
Seer—I have more time waiting in line for chow than you have on active duty.
U.S. Navy officer huh? I haven’t met anyone who served let alone someone who was an officer have such contempt for veterans.
An armchair patriot? I’d be glad to put my DD-214 up against yours any day hero. You are a big talker…perhaps that is why your “extensive service” was so short…non-promotable I’d bet.
greenlibertarian on September 26 at 12:59 p.m.
Extensive waiting in military chow lines, now there’s some really important experience in defending the Constitution and the country.
The_Seer on September 26 at 1:04 p.m.
jddavis: First of all, it’s “sir” to you. Got that? I was one of Rickover’s Boys. Let me know when you can put something like that on your resume. I left the military because I could make much more dough in the private sector and not have to be around uneducated and boorish grunts like yourself. I’m sure you spent a lot of time in the chow line. We didn’t have to endure such humilitating drudgery as officers: We had grunts like you waiting on us. The service members mentioned in the article aren’t veterans, yet. My contempt for them has no depths and is beyond the trivial portrayal you attempt to attribute to them. They have participated in evil and brought the reputation of our armed forces to a new low around the globe.
Why the quotes around “extensive service?” Were you trying to quote me for something I never wrote?
SCOREBOARD!
jddavis on September 26 at 1:46 p.m.
seer—Sir? yeah right! Uneducated? Based on what you’ve posted on your education, that isn’t the case.
My guess is that some Chief made you carry your weight and you couldn’t so now you push middle-school kids around.
Veteran status is gained after 180 Active duty, not to include training time. You’d know that if you were actually active duty.
“Extensive service” is in quotes because of sarcasm, referring to your time on active duty AND the self-actualization you are striving to achieve by throwing about your vast military experience—hoping some of it sticks on those who don’t know better.
“They have participated in evil and brought the reputation of our armed forces to a new low around the globe.” As opposed to what? being a tour guide on a boat?
The_Seer on September 26 at 2:31 p.m.
jddavis: I attended and graduated from R.O.T.C. at Boston College with a Bachelors in Mathematics and have a M.S.E. in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech. I’ll place my vitae alongside yours any day. I don’t remember giving too many tours while standing twelve on/off watches keeping our nuclear reactor running. Quit hating, delta bravo, your envy is melting away your veneer of chivalry.
You don’t know what grade level I teach or what school I teach in so keep making yourself look more ignorant (if that is possible) by your unsupported speculation.
The_Seer on September 26 at 2:33 p.m.
Veterans achieve their status AFTER they served, not while still on active or reserve status.
Only in Baggerland…. when are you and your ilk going to just fade into oblivion and go back to sleep? Do the voters of the U.S. have to go to such drastic depths and elect a Republican president again, like the last time?
detroitdude on September 26 at 4:43 p.m.
I think it’s really cool that Silverwood organized this for troops coming home. I can’t hate on folks who on their own volition put themselves in harm’s way in an effort to protect our country and our Constitution.
While I agree the wars were and are misguided, and started for a lot of the wrong reasons, and a total waste of money and life, I can’t deride these folks. I hope they had a great time at Silverwood.
The_Seer on September 26 at 5:29 p.m.
Detroit: I have a problem with this group of veterans. If they organized parades to have them spat upon I would attend wholeheartedly. I know it makes most people really upset and they can’t believe a fellow veteran would feel this way. One’s conscience can excuse members of the military from participating in actions that are contrary to conscience and very few members of the military exercised that option in regards to both Afghanistan and Iraq. Instead, they’ve blindly followed authority authorizing them to kill hundreds of thousands of people who never did anything to them, their family or our country. Many have done so zealously and committed atrocities that should make us all cringe and demand an end to such needless, unconstitutional, and unwarranted brutality.
It costs us one million dollars a year, per tool, to support these tools overseas. One million dollars per soldier. That would pay for thirty new teachers per deployed member. That investment in education and teachers could be providing U.S. children with a quality education who would emerge as adults capable of critical thought that wouldn’t tolerate mass murder in their names. Instead of protecting the Constitution, they watched it be reduced to a joke and the opportunities lost to our nation as a result of their blind allegiance will never be recovered.
jddavis on September 26 at 5:30 p.m.
Seer—what part of the “Idaho Army National Guard” didn’t make sense to you? Are they on Active Duty orders? Likely not since they are home now. Go tell them they aren’t Veterans. You really have no idea about military do you!
You often post your education and military experience on here…thing is, neither mean squat. Did you have to google “delta bravo” or did you see it in a movie? Kept the reactor running? RIGHT!
detroitdude on September 26 at 5:50 p.m.
@Seer: While I agree with you that the war effort is and has been misguided, suggesting that we ought to spit on them, and criticize them is not a good idea. Assuming that these people signed up to the armed services in order to satisfy some sort of blood lust or make it real life Call of Duty just isn’t true. I bet some did, there was a guy I went to high school with, did two tours in Iraq. He, myself, and a few others from school got drunk one night, he bragged about shooting an unarmed, retreating Iraqi in the back with an RPG. I told him that I think he is disgusting. I can’t verify it though, might have been all BS.
I really don’t believe that the vast majority of these people have gone in with some wanton need for violence and killing. I’m sure many when they joined never suspected they would be called in for combat. In peacetime, joining the armed forces is not a bad idea at all.
You served, they served, how can you say their service is “worth” less than yours? This is coming from a guy who avoided armed service recruiters like the plague in the late 90’s.
misjustice on September 26 at 7:16 p.m.
I don’t have a problem with “this” set of Veterans. I suspect that many joined up for the same reasons that I did: the GI Bill, job training, the chance to travel, and a sense of patriotism/service to the nation.
I’m glad that “this” set of Veterans were able to spend a day of fun with their families at Silverwood. They MORE than earned it!
I don’t blame them for the bad decisions of the thief in chief, W, or his side kick, 5 deferments Cheney.
woamike on September 26 at 9:14 p.m.
The self-identified, loud and proud Marxist has sunk to a new low:
“I have a problem with this group of veterans. If they organized parades to have them spat upon I would attend wholeheartedly.”
Congratulations Seer. You’re finally #1 at something: the most vile poster of all-time on this board.
Mj and co.: Proud of your boy?
misjustice on September 26 at 9:21 p.m.
He’s entitled to his opinion, just like you are.
I find it odd that you trail around behind him on most threads that he posts to…especially since you claim to find him to be so vile.
woamike on September 26 at 9:51 p.m.
Face it, if a tea party person said the same thing, you and your gang would have a thermo-nuclear meltdown. You’d demand their head and we’d never hear the end of it.
But, since one of your peeps said it all we get is “he’s entitled to his opinion”. Of course he is, hypocrite. “Duh”. That’s not the point. The point is he said it and you won’t critique him or call him on it.
misjustice on September 26 at 9:56 p.m.
I don’t need to be the thread police, you have assumed that position.
What makes him my “peep” any who how?
I did post in response to his attack on “this” set of Veterans; maybe you missed it, up thread? Oh, it wasn’t critical ENOUGH for you?
Whatever!
Where’s my (bigger) tax cut?