We attended the Mobilization and Farewell Ceremony for the 103rd Sustainment Command Sunday In Des Moines. My Son-in-law is a 1st LT in the Unit and will be deploying for 400 Days+. As the General explained the mission of the unit it is to, "...move a city the size of Sioux City - all 82 thousand of them along with everything they own (vehicles and all) 3/4 away around the world. Makes my head hurt to think about it... I can't seem to pack right to go on a 3 hour trip.
There were tears, laughter and solemn moments. The young, the old, the veteran, the non-veteran, the Moms and Dads, the Grandmas and Grandpas, the Wives, the Daughters, the Sons, the girlfriends and boyfriends - all felt the electricity in the air when the first notes of the Star Spangled Banner were heard. I would imagine it would have been difficult to find a dry eye (even now as I type)...
These veterans continue to serve as color guard for a variety occasions - send offs, coming home ceremonies, football games, baseball games, and most importantly for funerals of deceased veterans. In the Navy we wished those leaving on a deployment, Fair winds and following seas." In the Army, near as I can tell - it is whooohah!!! (No idea if that is even close...)
