Local guardsmen headed to Iraq

BY JIM TALBERT\Staff
WARDELL – For the third time since the Iraq war started family and friends of members of the local National Guard Unit gathered Oct. 6 to see some of them off to Iraq. 
Some of them like Sgt. Walt Asbury were veterans of the first trip while it was a new experience for others. Regardless of the number of trips they had made it was a somber day for the 37 men and women heading to Fort Pickett and then to Fort McCoy for training that will eventually take them to Iraq.
Earl Griffith, who commanded the 1033rd before his retirement spoke to the soldiers prior to their departure. Griffith stressed to the soldiers that they should look out for each other and listen to their commanding officers.
The soldiers from the 1033rd will become part of the 180th Horizontal Construction Company once they are in federal service. They had been at Fort Pickett prior to being sent home on leave and the Oct. 6 departure from the SwVCC Armory was for their return to Pickett for the final week of training.
The entire 180th will depart Pickett for Fort McCoy, WI next week. Griffith asked the crowd gathered for the sendoff to always remember the sacrifices the soldiers were making.
Delegate Dan Bowling said every soldier was a hero and asked the gathering to honor them as such. Bowling told the men and women that area churches would keep them in their prayers.
Richlands Mayor Ken Wysor said service to one’s country was similar to service to God. Wysor said the men and women were doing a great service and on behalf of the entire area he wished them well.
Members of VFW Post 9640 sent the soldiers off with a 21 gun salute. They also gathered bags of food and other items form area stores to treat the soldiers and their families prior to departure.
Members of the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office gave the convoy an escort to the state line. As they have for prior troop departures, citizens lined the roadside to wave flags and signs as the convoy drove by.
A large group waited along route 460 just outside Tazewell as the convoy passed through the county seat. Sheriff H.S. Caudill and other members of law enforcement gave the troops a final salute at the state line.
Another group from the 1033rd went to Iraq last July as part of the 237th National Guard unit. The 276th which eventually became the 1033rd went to Iraq as a group in 2004.
Guardsmen from the local unit have also gone to Arizona for border patrol and to the coast to assist when hurricanes struck.
The current group is expected to be in federal service for at least one year. Amy Childress will serve as the Family Resource Group contact person while the unit is in federal service.