Farewell 412th|60 local soldiers bound for Afghanistan

Published 12:00 am Saturday, August 22, 2009

More than 100 people lined Indiana Avenue Friday morning to wave and yell goodbye to 60 local soldiers headed from the U.S. Army’s 412th Engineer Command in Vicksburg to Afghanistan.

“I’m sad this time,” said Penny Branch, a Vicksburg police officer and the wife of Staff Sgt. Cammie Branch, who was headed out on his fourth deployment to the Middle East. “I think it’s a little more serious this time,” she said while wiping tears and choking on her words. “I know this is something he loves doing. He loves his country. I admire him for it, so I accept it.

Click here for more photos of the 412th deployment ceremony

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She also has hope: “I’m glad the election is over. Maybe they will find some peace.” 

Afghans cast ballots Thursday in the presidential election, and President Hamid Karzai and top challenger Abdullah Abdullah both claimed victory, though the country’s Independent Election Commission said it was too early for any campaign to claim itself the winner and said preliminary results likely would not be available at least until Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Mark Leighton said the soldiers will help rebuild the infrastructure of Afghanistan, specifically digging wells and improving communications networks.

“We’ve gone to great strides preparing for the mission,” Branch said of his unit’s plans for their part in Operation Enduring Freedom.

He said he feels his wife and four daughters are ready for his deployment because of the 412th’s family support efforts, known as yellow ribbon programs.

“Our families are our strength,” he said.

During an address during a sendoff ceremony at the 412th’s headquarters on Porters Chapel Road, Sgt. Maj. Guy Taylor wiped away tears as he thanked families and friends.

“Today, we leave our family and friends behind,” he said, “to preserve our way of life.”

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, Vicksburg Mayor Paul E. Winfield and 412th Commander Maj. Gen. Paul F. Hamm also gave soldiers and families words of encouragement.

“We know the strain and anxiety on your part,” Wicker told the families. But, referring to the Family Readiness Group, he said, “You have a great support team here.”

Students from the Agape Montessori Christian Academy in Vicksburg took hand-drawn signs to show their support for the group they have adopted as a community service project, director Lois Christian said. The students will write letters and send pictures to the soldiers during their year-long tour.

After the ceremony, families, friends and non-deploying soldiers formed a human pathway along Indiana Avenue from Porters Chapel Road to Interstate 20 for buses cheering on the soldiers. Two trucks from the Vicksburg Fire Department extended their ladders to present an unfurled American flag over Indiana Avenue.

This is the first overseas deployment by the 412th since the organization converted from an engineer command to a theater engineer command as part of the Army’s new modular force structure, a public affairs spokesman said.

The group headed Friday to Camp Shelby, just south of Hattiesburg, to spend three months in training before going overseas.

The war in Afghanistan began on Oct. 7, 2001, as the U.S. military operation was launched by the United States with the United Kingdom in response to the Sept. 11 attacks that year. About 28,000 U.S. troops are in the area.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com