Deployment brings early graduation

Kevin Pollock's Army green duffel bags, crammed with military gear, sit stacked on the basement floor of his rented home in Cape Girardeau. Soon, he and his duffel bags will ship out for active duty, possibly in Iraq.

This week he's wrapping up his college career at Southeast Missouri State University. Pollock will graduate on Saturday, a semester early because his Army National Guard unit has been called up.

Pollock, a 23-year-old horticulture major from Ironton, Mo., admits his mind isn't on schoolwork but on packing up.

"It's kind of hard to concentrate in class," he said as he sat in the living room of the house on Perry Avenue he shares with four roommates.

It's been that way ever since he and his fellow soldiers in the 540-member 1140th Engineer Battalion of the Army National Guard received their marching orders in support of the war in Iraq on Dec. 1. The battalion, headquartered in Cape Girardeau, has Guard members throughout Southeast Missouri.

The soldiers will report to their respective Southeast Missouri armories Jan. 3. They then will move to Fort Riley, Kan., for final deployment. Capt. Bill Irby, a human resources officer stationed with the National Guard in Cape Girardeau, confirmed the soldiers face up to 18 months of active duty.

Jim Pollock of Ironton said he's glad his son isn't leaving until after Christmas.

"Christmas is always special to us," said Jim Pollock, whose yard is decorated with holiday angels. "It will no doubt carry a different meaning this Christmas."

Said Jim Pollock, "It kind of hurts to see him go."

He said his son may end up in Iraq, Afghanistan or Germany.

Faith a 'huge advantage'

Kevin Pollock said he knows as a combat engineer he could end up in harm's way. "There is always a little bit of concern. You're always a little bit scared," he said.

But the soon-to-be college graduate said his Christian background is a blessing. "It helps keep me solid," Pollock said.

Faith, he said, is a "huge advantage" for a soldier facing possible combat duty.

Pollock's Guard unit participated in wargames in the Mojave Desert in California last month. He missed three weeks of classes and just recently finished catching up with his studies.

Now he's working to complete final exams in preparation for Saturday's commencement ceremony at the Show Me Center.

When classes began this fall, Kevin Pollock figured on graduating next spring. After the fall semester, he planned to finish up in the spring semester with one final three-credit-hour class in landscape design. He wants to operate a landscape business.

But after his unit was activated, school officials agreed to allow him to graduate this month.

Dr. Wesley Mueller, chairman of the agriculture department, said Pollock already had taken enough classes to be eligible for graduation.

School officials had no problem expediting Pollack's diploma.

"We were glad to be able to do it," Mueller said. "He is one of the students you enjoy having in class."

mbliss@semissourian.com

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