Tearful farewells
<p>Brian Dalka, Sgt., United States Army, spends a few moments with his daughter, Shylah, 3, before leaving with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team for a year of active duty.</p>
<p>Dallas Ausmus, Pfc., Army National Guard, embraces fiance Whitney Randolph prior to leaving Post Falls for two months of training in Mississippi before a 10-month tour of duty in Iraq.</p>
<p>6-year-old Jordan Buesking sobs while hugging family friend, Sara Kerby, Spc. with the Idaho Army National Guard, as nearly 200 soldiers with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team gather with family and friends in Post Falls Tuesday before departing for Camp Shelby, Mississippi.</p>
POST FALLS - With tears streaming down her face, there wasn't much left for Cynthia Heinz to tell Idaho National Guard soldier Joe Rozewicz so she made her words count.
"You thank them, hug them and tell them how well-trained they are so they have that confidence," the Twin Lakes woman said.
Families and friends of soldiers of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team gathered at the Post Falls armory on Tuesday morning to wish the unit well on its year-long deployment, including two months of training at Camp Shelby, Miss., followed by 10 months in Iraq.
Soldiers spent their final moments with loved ones - in many cases in quiet areas of the complex and parking lot - sharing laughs and tears, taking photographs and filming their group.
About 170 soldiers from throughout North Idaho, part of the 2,700-member unit from Idaho, Montana and Oregon, then shook hands with officials from area cities, boarded five chartered buses headed to Spokane International Airport and waved at people lined up in the parking lot and along Seltice Way as they headed out.
Some of the soldiers were deployed to Iraq in 2005, but that didn't mean this sendoff was easier.
Post Falls' Maurica Bradberry had to leave her 21-month-old daughter Lillyan Lowrey this time.
"I was excited to visit another country before," she said, fighting back tears before boarding the bus. "But this time is harder because I have a baby girl."
Friend Tim Shearer said Lillyan has a good support group so Bradberry can focus on her mission.
"Maurica said she's looking forward to it because she'll be so busy and in a routine," Shearer said. "The hardest part was parting with her daughter. We're very proud of (Maurica)."
The 116th will be among 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn that started Sept. 1. When the 116th arrives in Iraq in late November, it will provide convoy security and logistical support for military and civilian delegations traveling to Iraq.
Combat-related missions formerly performed by coalition forces are now undertaken by the Iraqi military. The 116th's previous mission also included security when infrastructure was being developed.
Coeur d'Alene mother Cinnamon Lane, who said goodbye to her son Kenny Keast on Tuesday, said the new mission eases her nervousness a little.
"You go through spurts when you're crying and happy at the same time," she said. "I'm still really apprehensive - I just hope everybody comes back safe."
"We will," Keast told her. "Everything has pretty much calmed down. It's safer than busting in doors."
Lane admits the deployment wasn't something she expected when she signed the papers three years ago that allowed Keast to be a soldier at 17.
"It's what he wanted to pursue, and it's hard to hold somebody back at that age," she said.
Keast's 9-year-old sister Kayla said she was sad to see her brother leave, but what's helping her during the difficult time is looking forward to moving into a new home this winter.
Keast said he's ready to get on with the mission.
"It'll be nice to get over there, get it done and come back," he said. "After they told us that we'd be going, everything seemed to stop."
Several soldiers and family members said new technology, including Skype, a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet, will help them stay in touch.
Adam Ratigan of Boy Scout Troop 249 in Hayden collected snacks, books, playing cards and other items from the community for his Eagle Scout honor and assembled about 300 care packages that were given to soldiers before they boarded the buses.
"It's mostly for their trip over there," Ratigan said. "I've always wanted to do something for the troops, and getting cash donations is hard because of the economy.
"We need to let them know that we're thinking about them and praying for them and that can get lost in the organization of things."
Sgt. Chris Seward, Post Falls, said he had mixed emotions about leaving.
"I feel good about going to support the mission," he said about his first deployment. "I know there's going to be sacrifices, but it helps to know that when I'm gone there will be a lot of support."
Seward's wife Vicki said she doesn't think families can ever be completely prepared for deployment, but she understands there's a job to do.
"We knew when he signed on that line that this was a possibility," Vicki said. "It's sad to see him leave, but it's a good group of soldiers going over there and if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have freedoms."