Area soldiers ordered to deploy

From staff reports

More soldiers in the region received deployment orders this week as the international movement of U.S. troops continued to gain speed.

The 1221st Transportation Company of the Missouri National Guard was ordered to prepare for deployment by March 15. The company is part of 1,000 Missouri National Guard members who were ordered to report for active duty, and their assignment is expected to last a year.

According to Samantha Harris, a non-commissioned officer with the 1221st, 36 of the 71 men are from Southeast Missouri. The rest of the company comes from around the state.

"We have a lot of men who took part in the 1991 deployment," Harris said, referring to the Persian Gulf War.

The 1,000 men will either be assigned to the overseas war on terrorism or homeland security, the Guard reported.

On Monday in Kennett, Mo., several hundred people came out to send off the 1137th Military Police Company during a ceremony at the National Guard Armory.

It was an emotionally charged event, following which the soldiers, their families and friends hugged and kissed and said their goodbyes.

During the ceremony Brig. Gen. Dennis Shull, Missouri National Guard adjutant general, cautioned the soldiers not to get caught up in the debate of whether the global war on terrorism is the right thing to do.

"Our president has called the Guard to duty," he said. "Work hard, do your duty and we look for your safe return home."

Soldiers of the unit were to be taken to Memphis, Tenn., by bus where they will board aircraft and be flown to their first duty station at Fort Stewart, Ga., until June. They are expected to be on duty in Kosovo by July as part of peacekeeping operations in that nation. The unit is expected to remain in Kosovo for six months as part of Operation Joint Guardian.

Their duties in Kosovo will include law enforcement, traffic control and security.

Lonnie Thiele of the Daily American Republic and Lyman Skyles of the Daily Dunklin Democrat contributed to this story.