José, Adyn and Linda Valenzuela are preparing for José's second deployment with the Missouri National Guard. This mission will be a bit shorter, but much further away, as area guardsmen make two training stops and then head for Kosovo to take part in the NATO-led peacekeeping effort there. The Valenzuelas said the guard is providing more support for soldiers and families now, but the separation will still be difficult for them. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

Sadness about the impending departure of area Missouri National Guard soldiers mixed with great pride for their service to the state and the country during the deployment ceremony at the Marshall armory Saturday, April 5.

There were more than a few damp eyes and faltering voices as a series of dignitaries thanked the soldiers for their service and wished them a safe return as they prepare for a year-long deployment that will take them eventually to Kosovo, where Marshall's 1128th Forward Support Company will join the 129th Field Artillery unit in support of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission.

For José and Linda Valenzuela, this will be their second deployment, so they know what to expect, but that doesn't make it much easier.

Soldiers file into the Marshall armory Saturday, April 5, for the deployment ceremony that gave state and guard officials a chance to honor their service and to recognize the sacrifice they and their families are making. Area soldiers will be gone for about a year. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

José Valenzuela, a full-time guardsman stationed in Marshall, was last deployed in 2003, an assignment in the U.S. that lasted 18 months.

Much will be different this time around, according to the Valenzuelas. For one thing, they have a young son, Adyn, who is just 15 months old. They also have a 16-year-old at home.

The Army now provides much better support resources for families, they said, something for which they are very grateful.

The improvement of family support measures is based on the assumption that "if the family's in bad shape, the soldier will be in bad shape," José said.

Maj. Gen. King Sidwell addresses the soldiers and their families Saturday, April 12, during the deployment ceremony at the Marshall armory. Sidwell noted that when the guard deploys it is a community effort, a community sacrifice. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

Communication between soldiers and their families is much better now than it was last time José was gone, but even then the couple was able to keep in touch online regularly.

But in other ways, the year-long deployment about to start will be very much the same as the last one.

"Leaving your family behind is the hardest part. It's hardest on the families" at home, though, José said. "Soldiers -- we take care of each other."

"You don't get used to it," Linda said.

Ralph and Martha Wilson of Richmond were there to support their son, Douglas Wilson, and his wife, Tanya, who are shipping out together. Tanya's mother, Lisa Krugman, was there, too.

The Wilsons will care for their three grandchildren, they said, while their son and daughter-in-law are deployed.

"I wish they weren't going," Ralph said. "But I'm glad they are going to the same place."

The situation is quite different for younger guardsmen like Luis Flores and Antonio Tinoco, both of Marshall. Neither has a family of their own to leave behind, but Flores has a girlfriend and both said they were grateful for the support of their parents.

"It's good to have somebody back home to talk to," Flores said.

Tinoco said his parents don't really want him to go, "but they support me."

The program included comments by 2nd Lt. Robert Book, MC for the ceremony; state Rep. Joe Aull;, state Sen. Bill Stouffer; and Robert Hagedorn, representing U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton. Lana Crawford read a letter from Marshall Mayor Connie Latimer.

Then Maj. Gen. King Sidwell delivered remarks to honor the departing soldiers and their families.

"America is great. And what makes it great is communities like this," Sidwell said. He noted that the consolidated deployment ceremony March 22 in Columbia for 1,000 citizen-soldiers was an impressive event.

"But what tugs at my heartstrings more is when we have a ceremony like this, with your families, with your friends," he said. "It's a community sacrifice. There are unsung heroes sitting in this audience."

The soldiers head next to training at Camp Atterbury in Indiana then on to Germany for additional training before being stationed in Kosovo. They are expected to finish their mobilization in late March 2009.

Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@socket.net