Feb 2, 2003 By Patty Shultz 4 min read

MOUNT PLEASANT – An all-too-familiar scene of soldiers boarding buses bound for stateside or overseas duty took place again Saturday at a local National Guard armory. As dawn was breaking, about 50 members of the 110th Infantry Headquarters unit bid farewell to their family members and departed for Fort Knox, Ky., where they will undergo security training.

“We are no longer just the weekend soldier,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Bollman, as the troops gathered their belongings and found seats on the bus.

Over the past year, the unit has experienced similar departures for its members serving in Europe and in Bosnia.

“I’m glad I am getting the opportunity to do something for my country,” said Sgt. Earl Wright.

Before joining the Guard in November, the Uniontown man had served 32 years as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves and for 26 years as a member of the Uniontown Police Department.

After leaving the police department, Wright became the chief of security for Laurel Highlands School District.

“You do what you have to do,” he said, as he joked with another unit member about being one of the elder statesmen of the group.

Spec. Jason Dongilli of Perryopolis, one of the younger members of the unit, leaves behind his pregnant wife and young child.

“It’s hard, especially now,” he said, adding that the couple just recently was informed of the pregnancy.

The unit received its orders two weeks ago, which forced the soldiers to make arrangements to leave their civilian employment and prepare their family members.

Spec. Daniel Ward of Uniontown and his girlfriend, Melissa, had been planning to wed in August, but after receiving word that the unit was being mobilized immediately, they decided to tie the knot a bit sooner.

“We had talked to the minister in December, thinking that something might happen,” said Melissa Ward.

Within a week of learning of the scheduled departure date, the couple gathered family and friends at the Calvary United Methodist Church and said their vows.

“We’ll have a big wedding when I get back,” said Daniel Ward.

Sgt. Joe Lape of Dickerson Run said his Sony employers were very cooperative about the one-year leave of absence.

“They’ve been great,” he said.

Lape spent 17 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before signing on with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 11 years ago.

He said the presence of U.S. military personnel at home and around the world has now become a way of life.

“Whether you agree with it or not, this is how things are going to be, now,” he said.

Scottdale native Spec. Matthew Johnson said he knew when he joined the Guard unit in June 2000 that there may come a time when he would have to leave his family for extended duty.

“It’s always a possibility,” he said.

“I just didn’t want to be one of those guys who said they wanted to do something and then didn’t.”

Sgt. Don Thompson of Connellsville Township agreed.

“You make a commitment and you follow through with it,” he said.

Thompson, a self-employed auto mechanic, had four years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force as a jet engine technician before joining the Guard unit nearly a decade ago.

“You do what you have to do,” he said.

Although he had spent 12 years as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and spent time at a variety of military installations around the world, Sgt. James Coffey of Brownsville said he missed being a part of the military, so he joined the National Guard.

“And now I’m off again,” he said.

Coffey said family support is vital when duty calls a soldier away from home.

“They’re worried, because you don’t know what will happen,” he said. “It’s good to have them behind you.”

Spec. Luke Albright of Belle Vernon said the 12-month tour of duty would be more difficult without supportive family and friends.

“It makes it a lot easier,” he said.

After their training, the unit members will return and be deployed to one of the four airbases throughout the state, said Sgt. James Stewart of Uniontown.

Stewart said the latest missions are just part of the long tradition of the 110th of service to its country.

Founded in 1873 as the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, it was the first unit to encounter enemy fire in the Spanish-American War and has provided personnel for World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Operation Desert Storm.

The Mount Pleasant unit also was activated in 1968 to assist with riot control in Pittsburgh and has been called to duty to assist statewide during floods, hurricanes and snowstorms throughout its history.

“And we’ll do what we’re called upon to do now,” said Stewart.