Oregon Guard Soldiers Prepare for Iraq Deployment

As these soldiers prepare for deployment, more than 800 Oregon Guardsmen are in the process of returning from a one-year deployment in Afghanistan.

Oregon troops preparing for service in Iraq will supplement these US soldiers reenlisting for additional service

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Army National Guard's 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment will be honored during a deployment ceremony on May 23rd at 11:00 AM at the Anderson Readiness Center on State Street in Salem.

Oregon Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski and key leaders of the Oregon National Guard will attend the ceremony.

Twenty-two soldiers will deploy to Iraq for one year in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit will train at Fort Dix, NJ prior to leaving for the Middle East.

The 22 soldiers mobilizing include:

Portland:

Pfc. John Crosby

Pvt. Nicolas Moler

Staff Sgt. Michael Gholston

Hillsboro:

Pvt. Loruhama Lopez

Pvt. Matthew Mikolas

West Linn:

Spc. Jason Van Mourik

Spc. Stephanie Bacon

Bend:

Maj. Don Troxell

Sgt. Margaret Nelson

Medford:

Spc. Anna Judd

Pvt. Kirby Rider

Other Oregon cities

Lt. Stephen Bomar of Keizer

Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett of Molalla

Staff Sgt. Timothy Lumpkin of Milwaukie

Sgt. Kevin Hartman of Eugene

Spc. Elizabeth Conley of Springfield

Spc. Patrick Lair of Sweet Home

Spc. Eric Rutherford of Turner

Out of state servicemembers deploying as part of the Oregon National Guard:

Spc. Catie Beck of Pella, Iowa

Lt. Richard Ybarra of Vancouver, Wash.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Cummings of Kuna, Iaho.

Capt. Edward Vance of Sacramento, Calif.

Other Oregon units, including the 224th Engineer Co., the 234th Engineer Co., and Detachment 1, A-249th Aviation Battalion, will mobilize later this summer also for duty in Iraq. As these soldiers prepare for deployment, more than 800 Oregon Guardsmen are in the process of returning from a one-year deployment in Afghanistan.

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SlM et al: Surely do agree with your principled and kindly sentiment surely pertinent to this new draw-down from our State. Understand some 50,000 Iraq contractors, many making money illegally, already over there, so hope U.S. leaders force the issue for every one of those thus participating for blood money.

I will continue to hope for as safe a return as possible in a war situation, a safe return for All of them! I don't see peace in my lifetime, but I continue to hope for it thrughout the world, no cherry picking intended, but this planet's in deep, all the more reason I'm hoping for peace.

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