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St. Cloud State University
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Students deployed to Colorado, Asia
By Sheree Richgels
Published:
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Media Credit: Adam Masloski
Governor Tim Pawlenty addresses the soldiers and the crowd Wednesday at the Camp Ripley Rec. Center. In his hand he holds a copy of The American�s Creed.
Media Credit: Adam Masloski
Marshall Tousignant, 49, hugs his daughter, Jen Porter, 28, and his granddaughter, Morgan Porter, one last time. Morgan was born on Dec. 10 and the first opportunity Tousignant had to see her was this past weekend. Tousignant could be gone for up to a year.
Media Credit: Adam Masloski
Lucas Stock, 23, and his wife Amanda, 24, kiss moments before Lucas� bus leaves for the airfield. Lucas leaves behind not only Amanda, but also his three-month-old son, Andrew.
While many students are enrolled in school, 37 Army National Guard students had to withdraw from courses early last week to report for active duty deployment.
Students had nearly 40 hours to prepare for mobilization. They moved out of their apartments, changed mailing addresses, informed employers, organized bills and said goodbye to friends and family in a short amount of time.
"This is the quickest deployment in Minnesota National Guard history," Major General Eugene Andreotti said.
The 145 members of Company C, 142nd Engineer Battalion, are based at Camp Ripley in Morrison County. They boarded C-130 aircraft Wednesday afternoon to report to Fort Carson, Colo., to begin training for their overseas mission, "Operation Enduring Freedom."
Upon completion of their pre-deployment training they report to Southwest Asia for up to a year. The soldiers in the battalion are qualified in airstrip building, road construction, electricity and plumbing.
Before their departure, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Andreotti, Sen. Norm Coleman and Sen. Mark Dayton addressed the soldiers and their families.
"You are trained and prepared. You believe in America and we believe in you," Pawlenty echoed President Bush's message to soldiers. "You stand behind us and we stand behind you!"
Pawlenty continued to express his gratitude and pride for the soldiers and their families.
"Thank you for being here," he said. "We recognize and appreciate your sacrifice. We respect and appreciate your response to the call."
The Minnesota Air National Guard volunteered to fly the troops to Colorado so they could have three extra days with their families and friends.
"This deployment is a total effort by family, community and employers," Andreotti said. "We all have our separate duties. We are all part of history and this is education for all of us."
SCSU students and National Guard carpenters of four years, Amy and Amanda Henry are among those deploying. Amy, a junior, thought it was difficult to leave family, friends and school behind.
"It was hard leaving class after the professor signed my drop-course slip," Amy said. "I had to leave while everyone else stayed."
"It was really stressful having to organize my life in a few hours," Amanda said, "especially moving out of my apartment and speaking to all my professors."
Although they acknowledge the situation is stressful, the Henry sisters look forward to the excitement and new adventures that few people will get to experience.
"We are going with our Guard family and we will make the most of it," they said. "We're ready."
Scott Rohde, also a carpenter, is a junior at SCSU. He said he is not disappointed about the deployment.
"It's the responsibility that comes with my uniform," he said. "I am excited to serve my country. I'll miss my family and friends the most."
"I am extremely proud of my son," Rhode father said. "I will miss him incredibly but it helps to know that he is doing something great for our country."
Some students are looking at this as a free vacation to places they never would never visit on their own.
Senior Jessica Kleinschmidt is one of them.
"I'd rather experience this mission, school will always be there when I get back," she said.
Kleinschmidt works as an electrician in the National Guard. Her sister Kayla, 14, thinks what she is doing is "awesome" and has been inspired to someday join the National Guard like her big sister.
Quick deployment is a new experience for the Minnesota National Guard, but international service is not. Minnesota National Guard soldiers are working in 17 other countries throughout the world including Guatemala, Bosnia, South Korea and Kuwait.
