Print Email

"They know grandpa has to go serve his country," said Jermark, who has five children and seven grandchildren. "They've handled it well. They know I'm always going to be there for them."

Jermark, a Green resident in Clay County, is a member of the Kansas National Guard 170th Maintenance Company, a subordinate unit of the 287th Special Troop Battalion of Hays.

Headquartered in Norton, with a subordinate unit in Colby, the 170th is preparing to send about 80 men and women to Kuwait on a base security mission for Operation Enduring Freedom.

It's the second time Jermark has been deployed overseas. In 2008, he was sent on a security mission to Iraq.

"That was an eye-opening experience, and it taught me how an entire brigade can come together to make a mission successful," he said. "I'm very glad to see the troops in Iraq come back home to their families. But we still have to keep our guard up and be continually aware of our surroundings."

Jermark's unit will depart for Kuwait in April for nine months after first completing about two months of training at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Hattiesburg, Miss. The unit has been in Salina during the last two weeks for annual routine training at the Great Plains Regional Training Center.

A deployment ceremony for the unit was staged at 10 a.m. Sunday in Hangar 600 at the Salina Airport Authority, 2720 Arnold.

Joining the soldiers, their commanders and family and friends at the ceremony were members of the American Legion Riders, who honored the soldiers with a flag line, and Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Kansas Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, each of whom made remarks to the departing unit.

"I'm joining all of you today to wish these soldiers well," Moran told the several hundred people gathered for the ceremony. "It's amazing to me that throughout the history of the nation, we have individuals willing to raise to the needs of their nation. Too often our political leaders get bogged down in unimportant matters. We all have a responsibility to do good for our country."

Colyer said the National Guard in Kansas has had a great impact on the state in their critical commitment to American security overseas.

"As Kansans, we support every soldier's sacrifice -- they provide freedom for us and most of the rest of the world," he said. "There are millions of Kansans, and these are among our very best. On behalf of Gov. Brownback, I want to thank everyone in this unit for your service and to thank all of your families for the sacrifices they have made and will make to support you through the next year."

The 170th was among the first units to be deployed during the first Gulf War more than 20 years ago, said Major General Lee Tafanelli, the Adjutant General of Kansas, and this is their first deployment since then.

"You made us proud then and you make us proud today," he said. "The National Guard is critical to our nation's security. We have strong leadership in this unit, who have worked hard and diligently for this mission. I know you are ready."

Capt. Scott Weber, commander of the 170th Maintenance Company, had a direct message to the families and friends of the departing unit.

"I ask that you love them, support them and believe in them," he said. "This is a great company. They will be well-trained in the task ahead of them. They'll make you proud."

The unit will be able to spend a few days with their families before leaving for Mississippi, which Sgt. Cody Breon plans to enjoy to the fullest.

Breon, a Phillipsburg native now living in Abilene, has been a member of the National Guard for seven years. Like Jermark, Breon also did a tour of duty in Iraq.

"It was a good experience for me to get over there and see it firsthand," he said.

Breon said he's glad to be going to Kuwait with the men and women of the 170th.

"This was my original unit when I joined," he said. "There's a lot of support and camaraderie in the unit. We train well together, and we look out for each other."

-- Reporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by email at gdemuth@salina.com.

Discuss This Story:

Email this story to a friend:

Subject:

Recipient:

Sender's email (required):



Enter text seen above: