Guard’s second wave trains for Iraq duty

BOISE — The second wave of Idaho National Guardsmen involved in the largest deployment in state history flew to Texas on Thursday to begin training for duty in Iraq.

Just over 300 members of the 116th Calvary Brigade made the three-hour flight to Fort Bliss to join 750 guardsmen shipped there in early June.

“These going-away ceremonies, it’s very difficult for everybody,” said Lt. Col. Tim Marsano, who was at Gowen Field in Boise for the troop transfer. “But the families and the soldiers are obviously very resolute. They’ve had time to get used to the fact that they’ll be away from each other.

“It’s hard, but they understand this is part of the life they’ve chosen,” Marsano said.

The final 800 of the 2,000 Idaho citizen-soldiers ship out Saturday from airports in Lewiston, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Spokane, Marsano said.

Family, friends and community leaders gathered in Post Falls on Wednesday for an old-fashioned barbecue and fireworks in anticipation of the final wave leaving this weekend.

“It just doesn’t seem real,” said Martha Schrader, whose son Kevin is among those soldiers shipping out on Saturday. “It happened all of a sudden. I’m going to miss him being there.”

Following training at Fort Bliss and then Fort Polk, La., the brigade, which will include another 2,300 troops from six other states, will be sent to Iraq sometime this fall. The tour could be as long as 18 months.

“I don’t have any problem going. It’s something we need to do,” said Staff Sgt. Ronald Eckley, who left his wife and 18-month old son back in Jerome. “Hopefully, he’ll remember me.”

Residents of southern Idaho also joined the families of departing guardsmen on Wednesday for send-off celebrations in several communities that many said reflected support for the troops that soldiers were denied during the nation’s last major war in Vietnam.

“In the Vietnam era, boys had to sneak back into town, and that’s bull,” said George Maas, a mechanic for Amalgamated Sugar Co., who was at the event in Burley. “We need to support them.”

Amy Burgess was among those who turned out in Jerome. Her husband has been in Iraq since November.

“I just sympathize with the families,” Burgess said. “I know the rough roads ahead.”