Allison and Madison Hennager enjoy the ceremony from a distance. Their husband and daddy, Pete Hennager, is a member of the local unit that left Wednesday for training in Ft. McCoy, Wis.By Lori EhdeThe sounds of children could be heard in the background of the National Guard send-off ceremony Monday in the Luverne City Park.Many of those children will be without their daddies for holidays and birthdays in the coming six months as members of the local unit left Wednesday.They’ll spend the next couple weeks in Ft. McCoy, Wis., for training, and then start their six-month deployment in England.To salute and supportMore than 300 people were served during the private picnic for Guard members and their families Monday night, and the City Park was nearly filled with community members who showed up for the deployment ceremony.Chamber Director Dave Smith said the event would serve two purposes, to salute the departing guard members and to support their families left behind."We’re going to be thinking about you the entire time you’re gone, and we want you to know this community stands behind you and your families," Smith said.He announced that the Winterfest theme this year in Luverne will be "Star Spangled Christmas" in honor of the absent Guard members.This is the first time the Luverne Guard unit has been activated since local troops were deployed in January 1951 for a year in the Korean War.National Guard Commander and World War II Veteran Warren Herreid told the Guardsmen that despite advances in modern technology, their experience away from home won’t be that different from what the World War II veterans of his era went through. "We’re all still people," Herreid said. "You young soldiers are joining an elite group of people. … Make sure you remember your family and friends and co-workers will be thinking about you. … Think positive and soon you’ll be home again living the routine and sometimes mundane life of a civilian."‘Get it over with and come home soon’As military assignments go, the local Guard unit drew a lucky card, according to many of their wives. "At least we know they’re coming home … or we can be relatively sure they’ll be back," said Jody Kramer, rural Ellsworth.She and her husband Don, have four children, the youngest of which is 4 months old.She’s not the only one with her hands full. Patti Thielbar, Hardwick, is expecting twins next month, and if her husband, Brock, is already out of the country by the time they’re born, there’s a chance he won’t see them for six months."You have to do what you have to do," she said. "He has an obligation to his job with the Guards. … Family and friends are stepping up and pitching in."For many families, Monday’s ceremony served as a reality check that departure was near, after months of planning and uncertainty."I’m ready for them to go and be done," said Luverne’s Sharla Reisch, Jody Reisch’s wife. "It’s been a long month."Vicky Meyer agreed. "You wake up every day and think about how life is going to be changing," said Meyer, wife of David Meyer, Luverne. Both she and Reisch said the deployment will be hardest on their children."We’ve been talking about it and letting them know how long it’s going to be," Reisch said. "But I’m not sure if they fully understand … It’ll be hard when the holidays come."Meyer said her children are used to the two-week training sessions their daddy leaves for, but this will be entirely different."We as adults can take the separation, but I don’t know if they can comprehend six months," Meyer said. "I don’t know if I can comprehend six months."Reisch’s mother, Hermina Van Meeteren was listening to the two young mothers talk, and she said she knows how they feel.Her late husband, John, fought in the Korean War when they were newlyweds and was gone for a year."You do a lot of praying and you write a lot of letters," Van Meeteren said.Teddy Bears, yellow ribbons and pinsThe Guardsmen didn’t leave empty-handed after Monday’s send-off ceremony.They were given Rock County lapel pins, yellow ribbons (made by Cloyce Smith) for their families and Teddy bears for their children.The bears, donated by National Guard family support, wore little vests that carried special messages to the children from their daddies.Preschooler Morgan Haugen’s bear said, "To my beautiful daughter, Morgan: When you need a hug from Dad, just hug the bear and know that I love you with all my heart. Love Dad."The Pipestone County Star and the Rock County Star Herald are sending several copies of their weekly papers to the unit overseas at no charge, and guard personnel have promised to send regular e-mails to the papers to keep readers at home informed of their activities.The deployment ceremony was funded by the Chamber, local veterans organizations and banks in Luverne, Hardwick, Hills, Adrian, Ellsworth and Lismore.Patriotic affairThe event included a presentation of a joint color guard, special seating for the guard members and patriotic music by Sue Schneekloth."A large number of guard personnel came up to me afterward and said how they appreciated all the support," Smith said. "So I think it did what it was supposed to do."At last word, local Guard members were told they’re going to England to serve as additional security officers. They could be doing things such as checking IDs and patrolling bases.There are 93 affected members in the local unit that includes Luverne and Pipestone. Of those, 55 serve duty at the National Guard Training and Community Center in Luverne.Twenty-three of those live in Rock County and 21 live in Nobles County.
