APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A send-off ceremony was held Saturday for a group of Fox Valley-based Army Reserve soldiers who are deploying to Afghanistan.
For some, like Joshua Dubois, this will be his third tour of duty.
“This one is going to be a little harder, my first two was just my wife…now I have a wife and kids,” Dubois said.
Since his last deployment in 2007, Dubois got married and started a family. He will be leaving them behind for the first time.
Dubois’ mother Laurie Karlarkolwski says it has been tough on the whole family.
“It’s a little harder for him this time, it’s harder for a lot of us to see him go this time, because he’s a good dad, and we love him so much.” said Karlarkolwski.
Their mission is to manage and assist ammunition handling. The company’s commander says this group is more than ready to begin their mission.
“We’ve been through some excellent training, some rigorous training. I think at this point what they’ve been through is more than capable of preparing them for over seas,” said David Strange of the U.S. Army 395th Ordnance Company.
For mothers like Karlarkolwski, she says putting all emotion aside, it’s something that she is proud of, “They’re giving up, and they’re sacrificing for duty, for our country.”
In the next few of weeks the group of soldiers will be heading on a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan.
