OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Saturday was an emotional day in Oshkosh, as members of the 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, were honored at their send-off ceremony.
- 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regime gathered on Saturday morning for a send-off before deployment overseas
- Families of Soldiers share their feelings during the send-off
- Members of the 127th Infantry describe the mission that members will be undertaking
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Cheers and tears were shared during the send-off ceremony in Oshkosh.
"It kinda made me teary as I was listening to it and I've done this before," said Lt. Col.Matthew Myers of the 127th Infantry.
On Saturday, more than 700 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers were honored during a send-off ceremony at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, ahead of their overseas deployment.
"This overall mission that we're about to join is very much a NATO, it’s a NATO mission," said Lt. Col.Matthew Myers of the 127th Infantry.
Lt. Col. Myers says the unit will first complete six weeks of training before deploying to the U.S. Central Command region in the Middle East for about nine months.
Some soldiers will be stationed in Iraq, others in Kuwait working to support regional security and stability.
"It's an honor to serve our country, and it's a sense of duty," Sgt. 1st Class Matt Breaker said.
This is Sgt. 1st Class Breaker, second deployment.
"It's a lot, and I think every family deals with it their own way," Sgt. 1st Class Matt Breaker said.
Denise Murnane traveled from Sparta to see her son, Michael, as he prepares for his second deployment.
"I'm always proud of him. I'm especially proud of him. This is a big sacrifice for him. Every deployment is a sacrifice," Murnane said.
For some parents, like Bear Erdmann, whose son is heading out on his first deployment, the moment brought mixed emotions. But like many families, he’s proud of his son, who is now called to serve this mission.
"It's joy and exciting too for him. So it's adventure for him. It's gonna be but we’ll be at home worrying every day when he is gone," Erdmann said.
On Sunday, each company in the battalion will return to their home stations before leaving for training, moving one step closer to deployment.
