Editorial

Soldiers head to war after Christmas

For the National Guard soldiers of the 1140th Engineer Battalion, this holiday season is likely offering up an unusual range of feelings: Christmas cheer that peppered with worry, seasonal joy subdued by melancholy and a wish for peace tempered with a sense of duty.

That's because the 500 or so soldiers from the 1140th are preparing to go to war.

In just over two weeks, the soldiers will leave behind their families, their friends and their jobs to serve their country as part of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle.

The soldiers from all across Southeast Missouri have been given orders to report to their individual armories on Jan. 3 to support the war in Iraq.

What a jarring end to the holiday season.

The soldiers are lucky to be home with their families for this holiday season. Many of their soldier compatriots are not. These men and women know that.

But that doesn't change the fact that, after the holiday presents are put away, the trees are taken down and the decorations are put back in closets, that the soldiers will have to leave their jobs and families for up to 18 months.

In addition to preparing for war, the soldiers have to prepare their homes so that their families can cope while they are away. It is a serious but also sad task. It will be tough to be away and equally tough on families left behind.

It will also be a big blow to the community.

It is a far-reaching deployment. The battalion has detachments in Farmington, Fredericktown, Perryville, Jackson, Sikeston, Portageville, Charleston and Caruthersville.

Employers must also now pick up the slack of their workers at war. There will be many sacrifices made on every front.

But we can take some comfort in the fact that the troops look to be well prepared for their task.

Over the summer, they participating in war games in the Mojave Desert that is very similar to Iraq, should the soldiers be sent there.

They also spent a weekend in Perryville recently undergoing belt-line inspections. There, they made sure paperwork was in order and dealing with legal issues, financial matters, medical records, immunizations, dental checks and drug screenings.

Soon, the soldiers of the 1140th will be leaving to serve their country.

It is a daunting task but signs so far point to success.

But first, there's Christmas.

Here's hoping that for the next few weeks, the soldiers can set aside their worry, their anxiety and fear and enjoy a holiday season that perhaps holds more meaning for them personally than any Christmas before.

Here's our hope that this Christmas is a happy and joyous one for the soldiers of the 1140th.

We also pray for their speedy and safe return.

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