Tears shed as Air Guard unit deploys

by Brad McElhinny
Charleston Daily Mail

CHARLESTON January 07, 2009 10:55 am

— As many times as it's happened over the past five years, troop deployments never get any easier for families.

Few people know that better than Chuck and Karen Berry. Their sons, Christopher and Patrick, both have deployed to missions in the Afghanistan region this week from the 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston.

"The Lord will protect them and bring them home to us," Chuck said Wednesday morning as families gathered to say goodbye again.

"W support them and we believe in them 150 percent."

Christopher Berry, a 30-year-old first lieutenant, was among the U.S. Air Guard members who deployed on Saturday. He was landing on the Afghanistan mission today.

Patrick Berry, a 34-year-old major, was boarding a bus and then a C-130 today to fly to Afghanistan for a regular 45-day deployment. He was holding his 2-year-old son, Joshua, and keeping close with his wife, Eileen.

Major Berry said this is the seventh time he has been sent overseas. He figured in 45 days, Joshua will have grown visibly.

"He changes every day whether I'm here or not," Berry said.

Such departures were big news soon after 9-11 and as war in Iraq began.

Now they make fewer headlines, but they're a regular part of military service - and just as difficult for families, despite every effort the military has made to try to help service members cope.

The Air Guard members who left Wednesday morning were on a mission to Bahrain, where they will support military missions in Afghanistan, said Col. Tim Frye.

Aviators, maintainers and supply personnel will participate in airlift, air drop and air evacuation duties, Frye said.

In other words, "They serve to move people and cargo around," he said. "They're the workforce of the Air Force."
About 200 guard members are deploying out of the 130th Air Lift Wing right now, although Frye was less specific about how many departed today.