Soldiers depart for Middle East
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Warren County’s unit had not departed yesterday as of press time, although Capt. Jim Reed said the moment is fast approaching for the group to leave. Reed said a schedule is in place, but due to security concerns he couldn’t reveal when Warren County soldiers would depart.
“We’re waiting and we’re ready to go,” said Reed.
Flights are leaving from an airstrip near Camp Shelby, Miss., where the soldiers have undergone months of training. The 22-hour flight requires two refueling layovers.
“The reality has set in,” said Lt. Joe Minarick of Oak Ridge. “We are actually getting on a plane. We are actually going to Iraq. We are actually doing this mission. There is a nervous tension in the air.”
Soldiers will carry everything needed for survival with them on the plane. That includes two meals to eat during flight. Soldiers are required to board the planes wearing body armor and helmets and carrying M-4 rifles.
“We have our personal sacks, our sleeping gear, everything so we can sustain ourselves,” said Reed.
Once the roughly 4,000 soldiers reach Kuwait, they are scheduled to spend a year somewhere along Iraq’s border with Iran. National Guardsmen have spent almost five months training in Mississippi and California for this mission. That training is continuing, even as some members of the 278th depart.
“We’re still training and preparing and enhancing what we’ve learned,” said Reed. “There’s so much to each mission and our overall operation. There’s always something to do.”
The 278th is entering Iraq at a time the U.S. offensive in Fallujah has led to increased violence. November already has become the second-deadliest month for U.S. troops in Iraq since the war began.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.