The Peoria based Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment will be heading to Afghanistan.
About 100 soldiers from Illinois will head to Texas on Tuesday July 29, and will fly over to Afghanistan in September.
A farewell ceremony was held at Limestone High School for the Alpha Company. However, Captain Michael Halles said it is also about the families and community.
“Today is a celebration of the community, the employers within this community, as well as the families who pay that silent sacrifice,” Hallas said. “They are not the ones raising their hand and serving the country in uniform, but they serve their country in a different manner. It is by enabling and empowering all service members to get out there and do what’s needed to protect our freedom”.
The group is excited to go and do their job, according to Halles. And for some members, it is not their first deployment.
Sergeant Tyler Rue will be returning to Afghanistan, after serving there 10 years ago.
“Traditionally we are always ready to deploy on a moments notice,” Rue said.
Rue also said he believes it is important to also honor the families of soldiers.
“The families do serve too,” Rue said. “It is very important for them to feel welcomed, and feel needed, and thanked”.
Staff Sergeant Jared McDermet said when learning you will be deployed, there are mixed emotions.
“You get pretty excited when you get to do your job, everything you’ve trained up for thus far. But also, you have mixed emotions about leaving your family behind,” McDermet said.
Though leaving is hard, McDermet said he knows his family will be taken care of.
“But, it’s my time to go. And it’s my time to take care of my guys”.
McDermet said family and waiting for the day to hug them is the driving force to get him through the deployment, and he wears the uniform and proudly serves his community.
“It’s almost like you are a shield for everyone else,” McDermet said.
