Posted on 12/11/2007 5:03:11 PM PST by SandRat
FORT HUACHUCA — The shadows of snow clouds steadily built and enveloped the Huachucas, but never quite managed to engulf hangar No. 3 at Libby Army Airfield late Monday afternoon.
There was already enough precipitation flowing as the families, friends, a few pets, and comrades-in-arms gathered for two all-too-brief hours to say a goodbye with a kiss, hug or gentle touch that must last 15 months.
“I gave him a present on his birthday,” said Chief Warrant Officer Ramona Hill, indicating little Wilson Hill, born on Oct. 25, held by his daddy with whom he will always share a birthday, “and this is what he gives me for mine.”
Chief Warrant Officer Willie Hill was among the members of the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion waiting to be ordered aboard the large DC-10 waiting on the tarmac that would carry 261 men and women first to Bangor, Maine, on to Shannon, Ireland, and ultimately to Kuwait.
Monday was his wife’s birthday and she would take David 10, Chloe and little Wilson home to “celebrate” once the plane was airborne.
Rifles mixed with strollers, teddy bears sat on duffle bags, generations shared their strengths, took pictures, and murmured whatever words people say to a loved one who is traveling into harm’s way.
After a week of training in Kuwait, some will stay there while some will move on to Iraq, others to Afghanistan.
“We’re the telephone company and the Internet company over there,” said battalion commander Lt. Col. Linda Jantzen who will be stationed in Baghdad. “We operate and maintain the telecommunications infrastructure for the multinational forces. We’ll be deployed at five major bases.”
In the vast space of the hangar, the brass quintet of the 36th Army band played patriotic songs, but the faces of those milling were more meaningful than the music.
Jaws jutted and jaws quivered.
Soldiers leaned against walls for cell phone privacy.
One dialed over and over frantically to no answer at the other end.
In addition to tears, the eyes of those both staying and leaving revealed confusion, determination, numbness, pride and fear.
Candace Vilchek knows the ropes.
“It’s a way of life,” she said. “We’ve only been together three out of the last six years. And people think life in the military is glamorous.”
Her husband, Steve, a sergeant had already boarded the aircraft.
Five-month-old twins, Julianna and James, are the first-borns to Sgt. Raymond Emeline and his wife Tara. It’s his second deployment as a tropospheric communications operator, and the twins will be walking and talking by the time he returns.
Julianna slept while James, bright-eyed, drooled happily.
Spc. Cody Norwood fiddled purposefully with his rifle. Calling himself “a jack-of-all-trades with computers,” he’s off to Afghanistan, and was simply, “making sure my weapon works.”
Wife Rebecca works at Fort Huachuca in Veterans Services.
“Fired up, fired up,” said Lt. Col. Jantzen after the chaplain had blessed the battalion. “This is the culmination of all your hard work. It’s a new mission. This is a bigger and better battalion than ever.”
She encouraged the families to use the resources of the Yellow Ribbon Room equipped with high speed Internet connections and Web cams, and to take advantage of activities planned by the Family Readiness Group, an organization designed to help families of deployed soldiers.
The FRG was already freely distributing snacks and teddy bears.
Maj. Gen. Carroll Pollett, head of the Network Enterprise Technology Command, told the departing soldiers that they had three duties while overseas.
“You’re a soldier first. That means you take care of your partner,” he said. He exhorted them to do the best at what they do, regardless of their job.
The third duty, he emphasized, is, “Stay connected. Keep in touch with the people back here.”
Two Herald/Review staffers, senior reporter Bill Hess and photographer Suzanne Cronn accompanied the 40th battalion and will spend a month in Iraq.
“I’m proud to be going,” said Cronn.
“Part of the Sierra Vista community is leaving,” said Hess. “It’s only fair to tell the readers what they’re doing.”
With Cronn and Hess are 200 boxed “Stocking Stuffers” — a special section of the newspaper filled with greetings from people throughout the Sierra Vista community, to be distributed to members of the 40th at Christmas.
The section will be distributed locally with Friday’s newspaper so readers will have a chance to see what greetings will be shared on the holiday.
As the DC-10’s engines roared, from beneath the fuselage, toward the north, the end of a rainbow was touching the ground.
A little boy yelled and pointed, “Rainbow,” and the fully-boarded plane began to move.
“I hope they can see it,” said a waving wife. “I think it’s a good sign, don’t you?”
Herald/Review reporter Cindy Skalsky can be reached at 515-4611 or by e-mail at cindy.skalsky@svherald.com.
An exuberant soldier exclaiming “Victory!” thrusts his rifle into the air as he prepares to board the jet during Monday’s departure at Libby Army Airfield. (Mark Levy•Herald/Review)
Marisa Aguilar and boyfriend Pvt. Seth Dezentje share a tearful goodbye Monday on Fort Huachuca. (Mark Levy•Herald/Review)
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day-by-day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils, which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
That’s beautiful, SandRat.
Amen SandRat!! Godspeed four oh!!!
Damn fine pics.
The monitor is blurry.
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