The 842nd Engineering Company of the South Dakota Army National Guard, based here in the Northern Black Hills, left yesterday for Fort Bliss, Texas, from where the 161 part-time soldiers will then head to Afghanistan for a year of building roads and earthworks, keeping their eyes peeled, and Skyping mom, dad, spouse and kids to let them know everything is o.k.
The soldiers left Spearfish yesterday morning, under police escort and the hopeful eyes and heavy hearts of hundreds of friends, family, and fellow citizens. Here's the view from North Avenue, where Spearfish High School and Middle School students, accompanied by the Spartan marching band, wished the soldiers a safe mission:
The two best ways to support these troops:
- Pay for the endless and amorphous war they are fighting.
- End the war and bring them home.
Cory - thanks for posting that! One of my coworkers was going with them. He is a 'specialist' from an East River unit, but this unit did not have a specialist of his nature, so he got called up to assist. It' been a rough year for him;
http://www.southdacola.com/blog/2011/09/i-wish-you-a-safe-mission/
God Speed & God bless..
Scott -- sorry to hear your coworker got called up and will be away from his country in harm's way. Thanks for the link! Stace, with whatever the secular equivalent is of your wishes, I'm with you.