| Local Guard Unit Returning To Iraq
By David Hedges, Publisher
www.thetimesrecord.net
The Army National Guard unit in Spencer is returning to Iraq.
The 821st Engineer Company, headquartered in Summersville, has about 175 members, including 51 at the Spencer detachment.
The guard members are expected to depart sometime in July for a base in Wisconsin for processing and training.
Capt. Brent Schultz, company commander, said they expect to spend approximately 70 days at Fort McCoy, Wis.
"Then we are going to Iraq," he said.
The goal is to complete the entire mission, including mobilization, training, deployment to the Middle East and return in "about a one-year window," according to Schultz.
"That's the goal," he said. "It's always subject to the needs of the Army."
Before the construction of a new armory in Summersville, the company now located in Summersville had been in Gassaway. At that time both Spencer and Gassaway were part of the 1092nd Combat Engineers.
The 1092nd was called up in February 2003, about a month before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. At that time the Spencer detachment had about 80 members.
That call-up lasted 14 months, including two months at Ft. Bragg, N.C., and a year in Iraq. The members returned to Spencer in April 2004.
Spencer Detachment First Sgt. Scott Tolley said that of the 50 men and one woman who are members of the Spencer detachment today, no more than 10 to 15 were part of the 2003 deployment.
Tolley was part of the first deployment and said things are different this time.
"We got a lot more notice this time than the last time," he said. "We've been foreseeing it happening for the last couple of months.
"Everybody has a pretty positive attitude about it and morale is still pretty high," he said.
No firm date has been set for going to Ft. McCoy, but Tolley expects it will be in the latter part of July.
The scheduled monthly drill dates for July at the Spencer armory are July 14-15. He said July 15 has been designated a family day.
"We've kind of set that day aside to involve the community and families of the soldiers here," he said.
Schultz said most of the members of the 821st are still working at their civilian jobs.
At both Spencer and Summersville he said 10 percent of the members have been called up to active duty to help prepare for the deployment.
"Other than that everything is still pretty well normal," he said.
He said some additional days would likely be added to the training schedule.
In Iraq he said the 821st would be involved in horizontal construction projects, including building and maintaining roads and airfields. The 821st may also help with community construction projects including schools and health clinics.
"We're going to be moving a lot of sand and dirt," he said.
"These soldiers are motivated and we have been working real hard," Schultz said. "I believe I have the best company in West Virginia."
Read the latest about National Guard call-up www.thetimesrecord.net | 
