WINDSOR LOCKS – Loved ones looked on as 40 members of the Connecticut Army National Guard's 192nd Engineer Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company geared up to leave for a year-long deployment.
The unit will first head to a mobilization station at an active duty base for follow-on training in the United States before leaving for Afghanistan.
“Day to day we are going to be in command and control of subordinate route clearance units that are going to conducting route clearing operations throughout Afghanistan,” Lt. Col Charles Jaworski said.
While the service members look forward to completing a mission months in the making, the separation from loved ones can be tough.
“It is sad to leave them that long. I’m going to miss a year of their lives but we have to do this sometimes,” First Lt. Joseph Stoute said.
Jaworski said the majority of the unit is experiencing deployment for the first time but their leaders are making sure they are not only prepared but also their families.