Jan 8, 2005 By Patty Yauger 5 min read

MOUNT PEASANT – In an all too familiar scene, family members again gathered at a local military headquarters to bid farewell. The words “I love you” and “I’ll miss you” were uttered multiple times during the early Friday morning hours as wives and children left their soldier husbands and fathers at the local National Guard armory.

“It’s tough,” said Sgt. Charles Steban as he returned from walking his six-month pregnant wife to her car. “I’m leaving her with a lot of responsibilities.”

Steban and approximately 50 soldiers attached to the 110th Infantry Headquarters unit departed hours before daybreak for Camp Shelby in Mississippi where they will undergo six months of intense training before being deployed to Iraq.

Similar scenes will take place throughout the month as nearly 75 percent of the unit’s force has been activated, said Sgt. Maj. James Stewart.

“Morale is high,” he said. “We’re ready to go.”

Nearly 2,200 soldiers of the 28th Infantry Division of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, 2nd Brigade combat team has been activated said Capt. Cory P. Angell, Guard spokesman.

“The majority of communities across the state will have somebody from that area that’s going to be under this mobilization,” he said. “The grassroots-level hometown farewells will be occurring across the state.”

Geibel High School graduate, 2nd Lt. Sean Bufano, meanwhile, conversed with his mother and good friend Bob Cessna as the soldiers awaited the arrival of buses that would transport them to their southern destination.

“I’m ready to go,” said Bufano.

The father of a 14-year-old daughter, Bufano said while he is prepared for his first tour of duty, it has been a difficult time for the teenager.

“They know what’s going on and it’s tough for them,” he said of the youngsters being separated from their fathers.

Friends Spec. David Spano of Farmington and Sgt. William J. Colvin of Connellsville said that they, too, were ready to undertake the mission.

“Let’s go get it done,” said Spano.

The deployment is the second tour of duty for both men.

Spano spent several months in Germany in 2003 providing security at the Germershiem Army Depot, a U.S. military installation, while Colvin took part in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Bosnia, also in 2003.

Sgt. 1st Class Chris Jeske of Connellsville said his goodbyes to his wife, Erica, and children Sarah and Christian, before arriving at the Mount Pleasant armory. While he will be concerned for his family’s well being, Jeske said he will also be responsible for those within the unit.

“A lot of the guys are worried, but it is the younger guys I worry about,” he said. “I have to make sure everyone gets back home safe and that weighs on my mind tremendously.”

Jeske said Camp Shelby will offer a replica of an Iraqi city with role-playing soldiers representing civilians and terrorists to acclimate the unit as to what can be expected when they do arrive overseas.

Just as important as the training, said Jeske, is the soldiers’ ability to bond with his fellow-soldiers.

“They are going to have to protect one another,” he said.

Spec. Eric Hughes, a 2003 Uniontown Area High School graduate, said he will be maintaining the vehicles that will be used in the desert to transport manpower and equipment.

“I’ll be one of the maintenance people that will keep the Army rolling while we’re over there,” he said.

One of the youngest members of the unit, Hughes enlisted with the National Guard while a high school junior. He completed his basic training before his senior year and later attended Advanced Individual Training. Since, he has been a full-time mechanic for the unit.

To pass the time, Hughes tried to master a new hand-held game that he had received from a friend prior to his arrival at the Mount Pleasant armory.

He said that with many local soldiers already in Iraq, he anticipates encountering some that he went to school with or completed training.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Patty Schomer of Everson said that she has tried to keep busy in order to keep from dwelling on the fact that her husband, Sgt. William Schomer, will be away from home for a lengthy period of time.

“You really can’t totally prepare for their leaving,” she said.

William Schomer, who served in the Air Force and Army before joining the guard unit, said he will rely on his faith while away from his home and family.

“I’m very strong in my faith,” he said. “I’m sure everything is going to be taken care of. As long as no one stops me from praying, I’ll be fine.”

Spc. Chad Olson and his wife, Katie, said that they have jointly worked to prepare their two sons, John and Dominic, for the coming months when their father will be far from home.

“We’re especially worried about our 8-year-old,” said Katie Olson. “Daddy is his best buddy; they do everything together.

“It’s going to be tough.”

An Army veteran, Chad Olson enlisted with the National Guard following Sept. 11, 2001.

He believes his past service during the first Gulf war, is an advantage.

“I’m used to the culture and the climate,” he said. “I know what to expect when we get over there.”

Chad Olson said that he is supportive of the action being undertaken in Iraq and is ready to do his part.

“My sergeant major and my president are telling me we have a job to do and that’s all I need to know,” he said. “I’m perfectly happy to do that.”

Anna Marie Stewart, who heads the unit Family Support Group, said that past deployments and regular training along with various family-oriented activities has brought the many families together to form a strong bond that will help in the months to come.

“We’ll keep everybody busy and take one day at a time,” she said. “We’ll get through this together.”