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Georgia National Guard battalion heads to Fort Stewart, Ga., before summer deployment to Iraq.

By Stump Martin Staff Writer
Original story

    DALTON, Ga. — Strained emotions encompassed more than 2,000 family members and wellwishers who gathered Thursday to cheer 52 Army National Guard soldiers from Company C, 1 st Battalion, 108 th Armored Regiment as they deployed.

    In a drenching morning rain that helped camouflage the tears, Charlie Company boarded buses bound for Fort Stewart, Ga., to train before their scheduled deployment to Iraq this summer.     Sgt. Ashley O’Donald, 25, of Ringgold, Ga., held his son, Riley, 3, and wiped tears from the little boy’s eyes. Moments later, Sgt. O’Donald kissed his wife, Tori, 23, goodbye and boarded the bus to depart shortly after 9:30 a.m.

    The chief tax assessor for Dade County said it is tough leaving his family.

    "I’m honored that our unit was selected to represent our country," he said. "I just hope that my going to Iraq will prevent my son from going in the future."

    This is Sgt. O’Donald’s second overseas mission. He was a member of the Charlie Company troops who went to Bosnia as a peacekeeping force.

    Lynette Tucker, of Walker County, held an American flag. Tears rolled down her cheeks while she watched her son Michael, 29, board one of the buses. She and her husband, Tony, joined 17 family members, including three armed forces veteran grandfathers, to give the soldiers a send-off.

    "My hopes and prayers are not just for him, but for those going with him and those over there (in Iraq)," Mrs. Tucker said. "I have a lot of faith in God, and that his will be done."

    Spc. Tucker said he joined the National Guard shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

    "I knew this day would come," he said.

    Sgt. Joel King, 28, of Dalton, kissed his fiancee, Tishia Stancill, 19, as the two shared a sentimental farewell.

    "I’m very proud of him," Miss Stancill said. "My prayer is that he’ll be safe, and he will protect all of his troops there."

    Sgt. King said he joined the Army because he felt he had something to prove. He said he will have been in the Army nine years in March.

    "I’m trying to just make the best out of all of this," he said. "I was working in a carpet mill when I joined, and I wanted to make something out of myself."     Sgt. King was also a member of the volunteer peacekeeping mission to Bosnia.

    Sgt. Clint Teague, 33, of Chattanooga, is a 1990 graduate of Gordon Lee High School in Chickamauga, Ga.

    He left his wife, Leah, a UnumProvident employee, and their boys, Ethan, 4, and Aiden, 20-months-old, behind.

    Sgt. Teague told his son Ethan, "Daddy is going over there to take ropes and nets and catch the bad guys."

    Ethan shook his head no when he was asked if he ever wanted to be in the Army.

    The little fellow’s only explanation for all of the hoopla surrounding him was "it’s cool," he said as he dropped his head.

    Lt. Scott Carden, 32, of Rome, Ga., is a Desert Storm veteran. He serves now as the 1 st Platoon leader and said his men were "optimistic and energetic" as they deployed.

    "The guys all knew there was a possibility of deployment," he said.

    Charlie Company is based out of the Army National Guard Unit off West Crawford Street. The company will join up with other 108 th companies out of Calhoun, Rome, Douglasville and Canton for their training at Fort Stewart.

    The Georgia National Guard is made up of more than 9,000 women and men from more than 120 communities throughout the Peach State.

    E-mail Stump Martin at smartin@timesfreepress.com

Staff Photo by Angela Lewis Spc. Harry Smith comforts his son Gage in formation at the National Guard Armory in Dalton, Ga., Thursday before deploying with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 108th Armored Regiment to Fort Stewart, Ga.

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