What should have been a moving, patriotic ceremony at Aloha Stadium took on a somber tone for a couple of reasons Saturday night. First, some Kaua‘i family members of troops with the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Company A, 2nd Battalion,
What should have been a moving, patriotic ceremony at Aloha Stadium took on a somber tone for a couple of reasons Saturday night.
First, some Kaua‘i family members of troops with the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Company A, 2nd Battalion, 299th Infantry Regiment, who flew to Honolulu for the special ceremonies during the University of Hawai‘i football game against Tulsa, got stuck in traffic and missed some or all of the early afternoon festivities.
Then, Pacifico “Pat” Quel’s worst fear for the men and women of the 299th became reality: the Kauaians will be split into two groups of fighters and sent to different parts of Iraq early next year.
Quel, of Hanama‘ulu, was one of the few members of the 299th on Kaua‘i with combat experience, and was not only hoping that he would be able to accompany his men and women into battle, but was also hoping they would not be separated in the hostile environment.
He was not allowed to go with the unit because of his advanced age. He is a Vietnam veteran.
The Kaua‘i members of the 299th have either left or this week will leave for Fort Bliss, Texas, for further training after spending the last several weeks in training at Schofield Barracks on O‘ahu.
They are expected to be able to return home in time for Christmas, and then return to the Mainland in early 2005 before scheduled deployment to Iraq in February.
Members of the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 29th Brigade, which includes the 299th, began leaving yesterday for eventual deployment in Iraq.
An advance team left Saturday, and two flights carrying guardsmen left Sunday from Hickam Air Force Base, said National Guard spokesman Maj. Charles Anthony.
The remaining members of the brigade will leave on flights Monday through Thursday.
The 2,500 members of the brigade are headed for Fort Bliss, Tex., for three months of training before going to Iraq early next year. Included are 300 Army reservists from Guam, Saipan and American Samoa.
Family members, friends, well-wishers and football fans bid farewell to the departing guardsmen Saturday at Aloha Stadium, before the University of Hawai‘i football game.
State officials and the University of Hawai‘i organized the send-off.
Gov. Linda Lingle spoke to the troops, and thanked them for serving Hawai‘i and the country.
The brigade was mobilized for duty in August. The soldiers will be sent to Balad, a city north of Baghdad in the volatile Sunni Triangle. Details of their mission have not been released.
After training at Fort Bliss, the soldiers are expected to have some time off during the holidays before having to report to Fort Polk, La., in January for combat certification before going to Iraq.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
