Tennessee's largest Guard unit leaves for Iraq in November

[Judi Lynn]

Tennessee's largest Guard unit leaves for Iraq in November

September 9, 2004

MARYVILLE, Tenn. -- A Tennessee National Guard spokesman says the 278th Regimental Combat Team will deploy to Iraq on Veterans Day.

The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is Tennessee's largest National Guard unit. It's designation was changed for deployment because other units were added.

The 278th has about 4,000 members at 30 armories from the Tri-Cities to Jackson.

Guard spokesman Randy Harris says the 278th will leave Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for a month of desert training at Fort Irwin in California.
(snip/...)

http://www.wsmv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2278780&nav=1TcTQjKh

[blm]

1. Wonder if those soldiers will vote first?

.

[hadrons]

2. Tennessee did get something for its Bush vote in 2000

[bluestateguy]

3. What's the easiest highway route into Canada?

[Catfight]

4. My 19 year old nephew will be apart of this deployment. n/t

[Gin]

5. Recently about 100+ Guardsmen left from Hampton Roads on the

peninsula...they are part of a transpotation unit and will go to Kuwait and deliver goods to Baghdad. It was sad to watch the goodbyes.

They all knew what they were going into. What a mess.

[GoldenOldie]

7. Hope they are better equipped than all the others???

Are the vehicles capable of driving long distances in desert conditions.....how old and well maintained are they??

Do the members all have new and tested body armor?

Do the members all have enough ammo to defend themselves?

All the cons are attacking Kerry for not voting to supply the troops although that was not his voteea, but no one is questioning Bush for sending our men and women into battle unprepared and unequipped. Dick Cheney's Halliburton has failed to furnish the troops basic necessities never mind required necessities to survive in the Iraqi/Afghan climate.

Where are all the Cons that "support the troops" means only a slogan for Bush.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

6. my friend's 42 year-old son is going. they are democrats

and they are not happy

[murray hill farm]

8. My 42 yr old son going too!

and i am the mother of all angry mothers..only thing that keeps me sane about it is some form of fear based denial..my son was 2yr in the first Iraq conflict..and Bosnia. We thought he would be long retired by this time. Now it is no retirement..and war or jail..take your choice.

[Elidor]

9. Many in the 278th have already left

I don't know if they went straight to Iraq or somewhere stateside for training, but a lot of local guardsmen with the 278th left about 2 months ago.

One of them, a local cop, came into the paper where I work to place a classified ad to sell off his truck, his pets and anything else he could. He said it's a 2-year deployment. His wife and child will be fending for themselves in his absence. A couple of us had to go into the back room so he wouldn't see us about to lose it.