Jun 14, 2008 5:12 pm US/Central
Families Say Goodbye To Reservist Loved Ones
Deployed Batallion Will Aid Afghan National Army and Police For One Year
ROBBINS, Ill. (CBS) ―
It was an emotional farewell Saturday for members of the Illinois National Guard, preparing for a tour in Afghanistan.
The mission is bittersweet for the families -- many of them will be leaving behind, as CBS 2's Suzanne LeMignot reports.
The soldiers of Bravo 2nd Batallion 122 Field Artillery made a grand entrance into the Crestwood Armory in Robbins Saturday.
They received a warm round of applause from their loved ones, during their deployment ceremony. These National Guard Reservists will all be heading to Afghanistan in the next few months.
"Just serving gives something back to the people, the government, the nation," said Specialist Joshua Harris. "It's just something that everyone should do as a proud American."
The soldiers will be gone for one year. Their mission involves training and mentoring the Afghan National Army and Police.
"The better we do with training those guys over there, the sooner we will be able to vacate and they'll be able to support and maintain on their own," said First Sgt. Forrest Norvell.
On the minds of many of the soldiers and the family members that gathered this weekend is the fact, they're all going to be missing many milestones that they would usually be sharing together over the next 12 months.
"He will spend his 21st birthday in Afghanistan, so we are very sad about that, but our prayers go with him," said Elaine Forsgren about her soldier grandson.
Sgt. Brock Peart will be missing the birth of his second child, with wife Gina, while he's in Afghanistan.
"We're due in December," Gina Peart said. "We don't know the sex yet, but we'll hopefully find out in August and hopefully before they leave the States, we'll find out."
As the mother's of the soldiers reflect on the mission facing their children, they all say they have one thing in mind.
"I pray for them," said mother Wanakee Trask. "I pray for all our young men over there in Afghanistan and I have faith that they're going to come home to mommy OK."
The soldiers are the first to deploy from the Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and are part of the largest overseas deployment of the Illinois National Guard, since World War II.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Get More From cbs2chicago.com
