By: BILL JONES/Staff Writer
Source: The Greeneville Sun
11/12/2004

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. — Despite threatening skies that occasionally rumbled with thunder, thousands of people packed the parade ground here on Thursday for a Veterans Day "deployment ceremony" for the 278th Regimental Combat Team.

The main body of the 4,000-soldier National Guard unit is expected to begin leaving for Kuwait — and, eventually, Iraq — before the end of the month, unit members said Thursday.

An "advance party" of about 40 soldiers is scheduled to depart for Kuwait on Saturday, one member of that group told The Greeneville Sun.

Built around the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the 278th Regimental Combat Team also includes soldiers from National Guard units in several other states.

Among the 278th ACR’s units are cavalry troops based in Greeneville, Newport, Rogersville, Bristol, Erwin, and Kingsport in Northeast Tennessee.

The units from other states included the "Eagle Battalion" of the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 128th Infantry Regiment; the Texas Army National Guard’s 386th Engineer Battalion, and Company A of the 250th Signal Battalion of the New Jersey National Guard.

Troops from the Vermont and Massachusetts National Guard’s 42nd Military Police Company also help fill out the 278th RCT.

The highlight of the ceremony came when the entire, 4,000-strong regimental combat team marched, unit-by-unit, past the reviewing stand where Army National Guard and state and national political leaders sat.

The marching soldiers, most dressed in the desert camouflage utility uniforms that they will wear in Iraq, drew cheers from the thousands of spectators who packed the bleacher seats and side of the parade ground.

The 129th Army Band of the Tennessee Army National Guard added to the excitement of the review ceremony by playing stirring martial music.

Before the ceremony began, the 129th Army Band had won the favor of the audience, which included many family members and friends of Tennessee soldiers, by several times playing "Rocky Top." the unofficial fight song of the University of Tennessee.

Parade Ground Soaked

Although heavy rain had fallen overnight, soaking the parade ground, no rain fell during Thursday’s ceremony.

But as a result of the overnight rainfall, the thousands of troops who passed in review at the end of the ceremony turned portions of the large, grassy parade ground into a quagmire.

Many spectators also had to walk through, or stand in, shallow puddles of water at the edges of the parade ground.

But few spectators seemed to mind the conditions as they strained for a better view of the speakers, and, especially, a better view of their own loved ones passing in review. Dozens of news photographers and television camera operators competed with the burgeoning crowd for views of the marching troops.

TV crews from as far away as Houston, Texas, and Wisconsin added to a wide array of news media representatives from Tennessee and Mississippi. The New York Times also had a reporter and photographer covering the ceremony.

Estimated 10,000 Present

Major Doril Sanders, public affairs officer for Camp Shelby, estimated after the ceremony that about 10,000 people, including some 4,000 278th RCT soldiers, took part in or attended the 1.5-hour ceremony.

"The bleachers held 3,000 people, and we probably had just as many standing," Major Sanders said.

Billed as the largest deployment of Tennessee National Guard troops since World War II, the deployment ceremony drew high-ranking National Guard officers and political leaders from several states as speakers.

Among the speakers were Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, and Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton. Several high-ranking military officers also spoke.

Bredesen Quotes Webster

During brief remarks, Mississippi Gov. Barbour welcomed the visitors from Tennessee and other states to the ceremony.

In his remarks, Tennessee Gov. Bredesen quoted 19 century American political leader Daniel Webster concerning the importance of defending liberty. "One hundred fifty years ago, Daniel Webster said it as well as it can be said,” the governor told the audience. "'God grants liberty only to those who love it and who are always ready to guard and defend it,'" Bredesen quoted Webster.

Bredesen also thanked the 278th RCT soldiers for their love of the communities, the state and the United States.

"Godspeed,” the governor said. "I ask every Tennessean to pray for the safe return of these men and women. And God bless the United States of America."

Bredesen also pledged to the soldiers that state government would do everything in its power to "provide the critical support that your families need until the day you come home."

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Speaks

Barbara Lawton, Wisconsin’s Lt. Governor, told her state’s soldiers that in Iraq they would "confront the deep passions of a people who have not carried the spirit of freedom within them for generations like you (have).

"We know that spirit of freedom as the conscience stirs us to consider the needs of others, the standards that mark our highest hope for mankind.

"The spirit of liberty within us is not the burst of fireworks on the Fourth of July, but persistent and steady light of tolerance and humility. It is the soul of a democracy." She said the soldiers were leaving well-equipped for their mission in Iraq.

"National Guard training is the best in the nation," she said. "You have trained with each other now long enough to begin to anticipate each other’s next moves. And you will discover within a core of iron determination that you may never have had to use before."

278th Commander Speaks

The final speaker of the day was Col. Dennis J. Adams, commander of the 278th RCT.

A former University of Tennessee football player, Col. Adams wore a black, broad-brimmed cavalry hat as did many of the unit’s other senior officers.

"he President has called us to Iraq at a dangerous time when there will be many challenges and difficulties," Col. Adams said. "But we will take the fight to the terrorists to keep our families and our future safe.

"There is never a convenient place to fight a war that another man starts. The terrorists started this war, and we are going to be proud to finish it."

His comment drew shouts of agreement from the audience.

"You have the discipline,” he said. “You have the equipment, You have the cunning and the toughness to win in Iraq."

Col. Adams also remarked that Veterans Day is now, for the 278th, more than a celebration of the past service of other soldiers; instead, he continued, for he 278th the day will also be recognized as a day to honor "those who will serve."

He thanked the families of the soon-to-depart 278th RCT soldiers for their sacrifices, referring to the families as the "bedrock" of support for the 278th’s soldiers.

Col. Adams told the families it is not the fault of the 278th soldiers or the United States' government that the soldiers are being sent to Iraq.

"I want you to remember this," Col. Dennis said to the families of his soldiers. "Who is responsible for this separation is not your soldiers. It’s not your government. It’s the scoundrels who attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001," referring to the terrorists directed by Osama Bin Laden.

Many Officials Attend

Also attending the ceremony, but not speaking, were U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and several members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation, including Reps. Zack Wamp, Bart Gordon and Lincoln Davis.

Also in attendance, according to Col. (ret.) Donnie Smith, who acted as master of ceremonies, were 33 members of the Tennessee General Assembly and other state officials.

"You didn’t leave many behind in Tennessee," Col. Smith quipped after announcing how many Tennessee governmental officials were present.

Among the local legislators who attended the ceremony were state Senator Steve Southerland, R-1st, of Hamblen County, and state Rep. Eddie Yokley, D-11th, of Greene County.

"I’m really proud of these units," Rep. Yokley said after the ceremony. "You can tell by the way they formed up that they’ve become a first-class unit. I know what they’re going to do will honor our country and that they will come back winners."

Yokley said he was amazed at how much training the units that make up the 278th RCT had accomplished since June.

"One of the speakers said they had done 10 years of training since June," Yokley noted. "We appreciated the commitment that the soldiers and their families are making to help us achieve the goal over there."

Also present for the ceremony was Greene County Mayor Roger Jones. Afterwards, Mayor Jones said he was impressed by the ceremonies.

"If you have any pride in being an American, or a Tennessean or a Greene Countian, you had to feel it in your heart today," Jones said."You had to (fight) to keep the tears away. The pride just came forward. This group is ready."

Jones said it was obvious to him that the members of the 278th were ready for their mission in Iraq.

"They’re ready to defend the freedoms that you and I take for granted every day." Jones said of the National Guardsmen.

Story Copyright to Greene County Online