News Article
By: JEREMY BELK Staff Writer
Source: The Daily Post-Athenian
06-23-2004
As the members of the local 1st Squadron of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment prepare to deploy for active duty, they want the people of McMinn County to know that they appreciate everything resident have done to make their departure as good as could be.
The 1st Squadron leaves Friday morning at 6:30 for training in Mississippi before eventually going to Iraq later this year.
Monday, while Guard members busily worked to get everything in order to leave, a letter circulated around the Armory.
The letter, addressed to the citizens, churches and business owners of McMinn and surrounding counties, thanks everyone for their support and efforts to ease the burden the soldiers and their families face.
The letter, written by Sgt. George Roberts, of Athens, was signed by over 68 Guardsmen.
In the letter, Roberts wrote, "We the soldiers of HHT 1/278 ACR, would like to express our deepest appreciation for all the support and encouragement that we have received from all of you. It is a great task that we are about to undertake, and it is a blessing to know that the people back home are keeping us in their hearts and prayers. It is hard to describe the feeling of pride and honor that one can feel when he or she sees how much another person, who may or may not even know them, cares about their well being to such an extent that they give up of their own time and money to make sure that the other person is taken care of. It is good to know that we are not alone in this".
"We would also like to thank the Family Readiness Group for their tireless efforts in all that they have done, all that they are doing and all that they will do to keep us in good spirits and supplied with the daily necessities needed for our deployment. To all of you, thank you, and we salute you."
Roberts said after the call came out for personal supplies, people started showing up at the Armory with boxes of items, asking, "Where do I need to put this?"
Donna Cagle, president of the Family Support Group, said last week that two rooms had been filed with personal items donated for the soldiers’ deployment. Each member of the Guard who is leaving Friday will be able to take a shopping bag of personal items with them and plans are to ship a box each month containing personal items they can use while in Iraq.
Roberts said in many of the events held in the past few weeks to honor the Guardsmen, he has had to fight back tears because of the overwhelming display of support the community has offered.
"The community has done an outstanding job supporting us," he said. As Roberts passed the letter around, Spc. Caleb Martin said, "It is amazing how a little community like this one can come together to help us."
Members of the 1/278th switched to active duty troops this morning and will leave the Armory and McMinn County Friday morning at 6:30.
The Family Support Group urges everyone who can to come out to give the troops a grand send-off. The convoy will leave the Armory at 6:30 onto Highway 30 to Athens. In Athens, the convoy will go along Green Street through the Tennessee Wesleyan College campus, up Depot Hill to Decatur Pike, continuing to Interstate 75.
The Family Support Group would like as many people as possible to gather at the Proffitt’s Plaza Shopping Center with banners and flags.
Story Copyright to McMinn County Online