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IRAQ WAR " COMES HOME" TO WV AGAIN: SPENCER GUARD UNIT RETURNING TO IRAQ |
| (05/06/2007) |
| Rumors have been solidified. The reality of war returns to local communities with call-ups of National Guardsmen. The Spencer Detachment of the WVNG is returning to Iraq, joining two other units already on the call-back list, with more likely to come to be part of President George Bush's surge. Soldiers from Roane, Calhoun and other regional counties belong to the former 1092nd engineering unit. The war has not struck home for most US citizens, with little sacrifice felt, except to the families of soldiers. The "hidden pain" of the Iraq War beyond the loss of life and tens of thousands injured: The cost will soon exceed $500 billion, ten times more than the Bush administration predicted. More than 63,000 Army National Guard and Army Reserve personnel are already serving on active-duty assignments. Citizen soldiers have become front-liners. About 175-200 soldiers from a West Virginia Army National Guard unit headquartered in Summersville have been notified that they will be called to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom starting in July. The mobilization order affects members of the 821st Engineer Company, which maintains a detachment in Spencer in addition to its Summersville headquarters. The unit's mission is to build and maintain roads, airfields and other critical infrastructure projects, according to the state National Guard public affairs office. The versatility of the 821st engineering personnel also makes the unit valuable for reconstruction and human aid projects. The soldiers are expected to be on duty in southwest Asia for about 12 months, which includes "time for training, deployment and demobilization activities." Members of the 821st will first go to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, before deploying overseas. According to the 1092nd Engineer Battalion Association Web site, the 821st was formed from a company of the 1092nd, which sent more than 500 members to Iraq for 14 months in 2003-2004. Several thousand WV guardsmen were initially deployed to Iraq. Use search to access earlier call-up: 1092ND
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