Griffin

Winder

Convoys and buses rolled out of towns across Georgia this week as Soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade left their hometown armories for Fort Stewart.

Soldiers of E Troop, 108th Cavalry get a special salute from Cub Scouts from Pack 114 of Griffin’s Cowen Road Elementary School. The scouts were among the thousands of people who lined the departure route as the unit left Griffin for it’s deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

The southeast Georgia installation is the first stop on the Brigade's deployment that is expected to take them to Iraq by mid-summer.

Along the departure routes, townspeople, school children, shopkeepers and other well wishers lined the streets with signs and flags.

In Griffin , the fire department used two snorkel trucks to suspend a large American flag over State Route 16 to honor members of E Troop, 108th Cavalry . Nearby, students from Taylor Street Middle School chanted “U-S-A, U-S-A” as the soldier-filled buses and HUMVEES passed.

In Dalton, members of C Company, 108th Armor ceremoniously lowered the American flag in front of its armory and retired it until the unit's return.

More than 3,200 members of the Macon-based brigade reported for duty this week with the first several days spent in their home armories. The movement to Fort Stewart began Thursday morning and is scheduled to be phased over a three-day period. The Brigade will train at Fort Stewart through late-March when it is scheduled to go the National Training Center in California before departing for Iraq.

10 year-old Taylor Conkle shows her support for her father and other members of E Troop, 108th Cavalry as the unit prepares to depart the Griffin on Thursday. Taylor’s dad, Staff Sgt. Terry Conkle is operations and logistics NCO for the unit.

Students from Griffin’s Taylor Street Middle School cheer in support of the Soldiers of E Troop, 108th Cavalry as the unit rolls out of town on its way to Fort Stewart.