CUTLINE: Sgt. Bill Whitcher of Concord, kisses his son Will, 6, Tuesday, Dec. 1 at Milford Middle School. C Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) held its deployment ceremony amid a packed house in the gymnasium of the school. Law enforcement, fire, friends and family came out in the hundreds to say farewell to about 140 N.H. and Vt. Guardsmen. They will be part of the Vermont National Guard’s 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The mission is to train Afgan national security forces, police and border patrols for the next 12 months. This is Sgt. Whitcher’s second deployment to Afghanistan. “It’s a huge sacrifice, I think it’s more of a sacrifice for the family,” Sgt. Whitcher said.
THOUGHTS: These events are always hard to cover. Not is it emotionally hard to see into the spouses eyes but the children who are left behind are the ones who are hit the hardest. As a child, my dad was out of the picture for about three years, not by his own choice but by a painful divorce. When he was finally allowed to have us on weekends it was pure bliss. I can only imagine what Will in the photo could be thinking when he’s leaving and what it will be like when Sgt. Whitcher comes homes safely – bliss.
Tags: 172nd Infantry, Afghanistan, daddy, deploy, deployment, nationa guard, troops
Camera data: 25mm, f/2.8, ISO 3200, 1/125 second
Date Taken: 02-Dec-2009 01:01:49