Sgt. Daniel Burke, with Company A, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion, 
holds his son, Gabriel, as they pose for a picture.

221st on Its Way to Iraq, Again
First Stop - Fort Dix

More than 125 soldiers of the 221st Military Intelligence Battalion Fort Gillem in Ellenwood deployed Sunday, July 24, to Fort Dix, N.J., the unit's first stop on its journey back to Iraq.

Brigadier Gen Larry Ross, commander Decatur-based 78th Troop Command, local community leaders, families and friends of the 221st said their farewells and watched the troops board the buses for their trip.

"These being your second time around, you have a firm grasp on how to get the job done," Ross said as he looked over the faces of the Soldiers gathered before him. "We are as proud of you now as we were when you left us the first time, and that will never, ever change."

Turning to the families seated nearby, Ross assured the 221st that their families would be taken care of in their absence. 

"That, too, hasn't changed," he said. "Our commitment to taking care of your loved ones while you're gone is even stronger than before.

"Know that and take heart in it," he continued, "so you can accomplish your mission and return safely to them."

To the families he said, "Remember that we of the Georgia National Guard are one family. When you need us we'll be there...never hesitate to call on us to assist you."

This is the battalion's second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and it's expected to last 18 months. The unit's first mobilization was February 2003, not only for OIF but also Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. It returned to Fort Gillem in March 2004. Georgia's 221st MI is trained to provide, surveillance, interrogation and counter intelligence support for coalition forces.