Jun 27, 2002 By Patty Shultz 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Tears of pride and sorrow etched the faces of young and old as they bid farewell Wednesday to the members of the city’s National Guard unit, bound for Europe. “It’s sad, but we’re not allowed to cry,” said Valerie Booher as she and her three children – Lucas, 6, Alana, 9, and Devin, 11 months – said goodbye to Sgt. Todd Booher. “He’ll be fine and we’ll be fine.”

Booher and 35 other members of Company D, 1st Battalion, 103 Armor departed the Washington Avenue National Guard armory and headed to Fort Indiantown Gap, where they will undergo inspection and receive training in the first stage of preparation for their deployment to Europe.

Sgt. Tim Williamson and Rachel Felix stood side by side, willing the final minutes to pass slowly before the soldiers boarded the awaiting bus that would take the men to the Annville training facility.

“I’m proud of him,” said Fellix as the tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sad, but I know he has to do this.”

Williamson, an art education major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, put his college career on hold after receiving the call to active duty several months ago.

The Marine veteran is accustomed to leaving, having served in South America, Cuba and Japan during a four-year stint. Last year he signed on with the National Guard to help defray the costs associated with college.

“It’s what you have to do,” he said.

Sgt. Mark Wagner urged his girlfriend, Ruby Cano, to take their son, John, home before the group boarded the bus.

“Some of the military wives are used to this, but she’s not,” he said. “This is her first time.”

Mayor Judy Reed walked with the men as they began gathering at the bus, wishing them a safe return.

“It’s a very proud time, but a very sad time,” she said as she watched the departing embraces between the soldiers and their family members.

The unit was put on alert in March to join about 2,100 soldiers of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division for a six-month security mission in Europe.

Their destination has not been determined, according to Lt. Col. John Maietta, press secretary for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

“They could be assigned to Germany, Italy, Belgium or the Netherlands,” he said. “It may not be certain until they get to Fort Dix.”

Before making the journey to Europe, the soldiers will spend two days at Fort Indiantown Gap, the state’s premier training facility and filtering station for the National Guard and Army. On Friday, they will move to Fort Dix, N.J., for specialized training.

The 17,000-acre Fort Indiantown Gap houses the Muir Army Airfield, the second largest helicopter training center in the country, an educational complex for arms training, the Northeast Counterdrug Training Center, a heavy equipment operators’ training site and an air-to-ground bomb range.

After arriving at the fort, the men were taken to their temporary residence, where they awaited orders from Capt. Dana Keith.

The whitewashed, clapboard-sided barracks were sparsely furnished with bunkbeds and gray lockers, but due to the unit’s short stay, the Guardsmen would not unpack their bags.

All of the men have traveled to the “Gap” previously for training and were accustomed to the dated accommodations and the Army’s tradition of “hurry up and wait.”

“We do a lot of sitting around and waiting,” said Sgt. Ron Pisano as he conversed with the others.

Many sat on bunks, watching a DVD, while others stretched out on the narrow beds or the tile floor to sleep. Some played electronic games or wrote letters to pass the time.

Pisano said the only certainty for the evening would be dinner and a “showdown” inspection, in which the men would lay out their clothing and equipment for officers to ensure they had met the requirements for the items.

“This is what we do,” he said.