The friends and family of 10 army reserve soldiers gathered today in Appleton to prepare to say goodbye. The 10 men of the 395th Ordnance Company is being deployed to Afghanistan this Sunday, Valentine's Day.
Today a farewell ceremony was held in their honor in Appleton as they head to "Operation Enduring Freedom."
For some, it is the first tour of duty while others are going on their third. Sergeant Guy Zieler says it gets a little easier each time, but the long months away can still be tough.
"The first few months are hard, but after that it goes by pretty quick and you're with a good group of guys and you have a lot of fun," Zieler said.
A small group, but important none-the-less. General Jonathan McColumn was present at the ceremony to speak, and deliver an inspirational message to the soldiers.
While overseas, their main mission will be to assist with inspecting and clearing of equipment and handle any ammunitions found and dispose of it properly.
The deployment could last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year.
