Pocono News Section

Local Soldiers Prepare to Head Overseas

Local Soldiers Prepare to Head Overseas - Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 09:15AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday, Dec 6, 2007 @09:15am EST
KINGSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY- More than 200 soldiers from across the region are now on their way to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to train for a mission to Afghanistan.

111 soldiers from the 109th Field Artillery left the Kingston Armory just after 7:00 this morning. They spent hours saying their final farewells to family and friends. The soldiers will spend one year overseas.

Most will leave behind girlfriends, wives and children. Sergeant Brian Lukashewski of Plains Township said, "I've got to think about the mission -- the mission at hand -- but first my family is always going to be in the back of my mind."

107 men from the 103rd Armor Regiment of the National Guard also said goodbye to family and friends in East Buffalo Township.

They're first headed to North Carolina for training then they'll come for the holidays for a short time before eventually heading to Afghanistan. Their deployment will be for one year. Soldiers also left Wellsboro, Tioga County this morning.