Document text
Soldiers head for Mideast Photo by Bob Pennell Cpl. Ryan Deane and his wife of four months, Summer, say goodbye after a Tuesday morning deployment ceremony for the Medford unit of the National Guard. The Guardsmen will serve in Saudi Arabia for four months. Guard company from Medford will help enforce sanctions on Iraq By PAUL FATTIG Misty Powell had one word for Tuesday's departure of Bravo Company of the 186th Infantry Battalion of the Oregon Army National Guard: "Bummed," she said, then added, "We're newlyweds." Her husband, Pvt. Eric Powell, 27, was one of 140 citizen soldiers mustered in the Medford armory for a deployment ceremony Tuesday morning prior to heading to the airport late last night. The Medford newlyweds, married Nov. 6, 1999, won't see each other again until the Middle East mission is completed in June. After a week's preparation at Fort Carson, Colo., the soldiers will be flown to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where they will spend four months guarding Patriot missile batteries. The unit based in Medford will replace 136 members of Charlie Company of the 162nd Infantry Battalion based in Gresham. That unit has been in Saudi Arabia since early October. Like the northern Oregon unit, the Rogue Valley and Klamath Basin soldiers will be part of Operation Southern Watch. Their mission will be to help enforce United Nations sanctions levied against Iraq after the Gulf War in 1991. When the Gresham-based unit was activated, it was the first combat activation of an Oregon Army National Guard unit in nearly 60 years. The Gresham unit had replaced an active Army unit. While Oregon Army National Guard units have been called up for duty in Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War, those soldiers have all been in support units. Until Charlie Company was activated, no Oregon unit had been given a combat assignment since 1941, when a unit was first activated for World War II, according to Guard officials. During the ceremony, the soldiers, dressed incongruously for Southern Oregon in camouflage uniforms the color of desert sand, were given pep talks by representatives of Gov. John Kitzhaber, Congressman Greg Walden and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Some 200 family members and friends were present. At one point, a toddler yelled "Da! Da!" several times before being hushed by its mother. Featured speaker Maj. Gen. Alexander Burgin, the adjutant general of the Oregon Army National Guard, complimented the troops for their readiness, patriotism and sacrifice. "You are the best of Oregon, the best of the nation," he said. "It'll be over before you know it, and you'll look back on it with pride." Pvt. Powell, a second-year college student, has been in the Guard for about a year. While noting that he will miss his bride, he figures the time will go fast. While most of the soldiers will be guarding the missile batteries, Powell, an emergency medical technician, is one of five soldiers providing medical support for the local unit. "We'll be providing them with the medical aid they need," he said. "I'll help patch 'em up if they get injured. "I volunteered for this," he added. "I'm very much looking forward to experiencing new customs and new cultures." And returning to his wife, he hastened to add. When he isn't on duty, he plans to take advantage of the two 15-minute phone calls per week provided free of charge back to Medford. "We'll also have unlimited e-mail access," he said, noting that is also thanks to Uncle Sam. "The communication possibilities are pretty gracious." "You'd better make those calls, too," his wife added. The Powells weren't the only newlyweds in the company. Cpl. Ryan Deane, 22, and his wife, Summer, both of Central Point, were married Sept. 10, 1999. "It'll be a great experience -- I want to go," Deane said. "It will be hard to be without my wife that long. But I'm ready to do my mission and get back here." "I don't want him to go," his wife said. "I'm not very excited about that." For Pvt. Matt Cofer, 26, of Ashland, although he only joined the guard 18 months ago, going overseas is nothing new. "I grew up overseas -- Indonesia, Singapore, Cairo," said the son of an exploration geologist. "We got quite a bit of traveling in when I was younger. "But I've never gone in this capacity," added Cofer, who works full time for the Guard. "I'm very proud of him and his company," said his mother, Peggy Cofer. "They've worked hard. They'll do a wonderful job. It's also a good experience for all of them to see another place, another culture and understand the role of the United States overseas. They'll all come back better men." Klamath Falls resident Jason Ore, 19, ordinarily installs car stereos. But the private first class won't be working on cars anytime soon. "I can't wait to go to Saudi Arabia," he said. "It'll be a great experience. New things to see, places to go." Like the others, Ore said he has ample training to prepare him for any contingencies he may face. "It seems like we've always been training," Ore said. "We're ready for this." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA