From TriCities.com:
Around 120 men and women with the Tennessee National Guard were honored in Gray, Tennessee on Friday in what was called a “Freedom Salute” Ceremony. The unit was deployed in June of 2007 and returned home one year later.
“Usually as a soldier you don’t expect anything in return,” said Lt. Tammy Cook, deployed with 730th Quartermaster Company.
Video Report is here.
Meanwhile, the 776th Maintenance Company has departed for Camp Atterbury, Ind. The Elizabethton-based unit, along with its Mountain City detachment, began a 400-day deployment Friday that will ultimately take the group to Iraq.
Tricities.com reports:
[Sgt. Josh] James, who calls Elizabethton home, is a member of the 776th Maintenance Battalion.
“The families back here is the ones that’s got it the roughest,” Fillers said. “(My wife’s) got to be mom and dad, take care of the house, business. She’s got to do it all.”
The time away will bring plenty of uncertainty for soldiers like James.
“I’d like to be home for my kid to be born, but I don’t know if it’s going to happen or not,” James said.
His wife has a lot on her plate. Her baby girl is due in February. In the meantime, she’ll raise the couple’s three kids on her own. If that’s not enough, next Friday, she’ll close on a new house for the growing family.
“There’s so many things that will come within a year,” Carla James said. “Our daughter will go to school, our son will go to pre-school, our baby will be born, a home will be bought.”
From the Times-News:
It was also an emotional time for the family of Sgt. Robert Fillers. His wife, Tammy, and his four daughters — Tara, Leah, Gracie and Faith — were there to say goodbye. Faith, who is only a few months old, was the only one who didn’t cry.
His wife, Tammy, and his four daughters — Tara, Leah, Gracie and Faith — were there to say goodbye. Faith, who is only a few months old, was the only one who didn’t cry.
“I want him to stay safe and come home because he has so many children waiting for him,” Tammy said.
The absence of her husband will be especially hard for Tammy because he was an important part of her small janitorial company, providing the heavy lifting Tammy and her daughters couldn’t do. Tammy’s burden while Robert is away also includes home-schooling Leah and Gracie alone and taking care of her mother, who is being treated for cancer.
by: Tony Duncan, Sgt. Fillers and family have a prayer and a tearful goodbye.
As a final tribute to the soldiers as they were leaving town, Grindstaff Automotive Group turned on the lights and flashers of all the cars on the front row of its dealership as the buses passed.
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That community support was felt by the soldiers. Staff Sgt. Dennis Irwin, a firefighter with the Elizabethton Fire Department, said he knew there would be support in the community for his wife and sons if they needed anything while he was away.
“I have 30 brothers in the fire department, and I know they are there for me,” Irwin said.
We have no problems keeping foremost in our minds the sacrifices of our men and women in the military and being appreciative of their efforts – but we sometimes forget there are great sacrifices being made at home too.
Think about it. While these guardsmen are off serving their country, time progresses, babies get born, bills come in the mail, pipes leak, two kids need to be in three different places at the same time, the tooth fairy makes her first visit, feet grow, shoes are bought and the Christmas tree goes up and then down. Those serving miss the routines, changes and milestones – but what about those who are expected to pick up the slack and manage it all in their absence.
Carla James and Tammy Fillers: you ladies are spectacular. You just are.
