Families, O'Malley Send 30 Troops to Iraq

As Katie Reynolds stood with her husband, Spc. David Reynolds, awaiting his deployment ceremony on Saturday, two other members of the Army came up and handed her a certificate of appreciation. 

A week ago, David Reynolds and his wife held a family gathering in which they made care packages for his entire unit, all set to deploy Sunday to Iraq.

“Last weekend we had a party at my parents's house in New Jersey and asked our friends and family to bring donations for him and his unit,” Katie said. “We collected candy, granola bars, personal care items and things like that. We collected tons of items for care packages.”

Spc. Reynolds, was just one of 30 members of the Maryland National Guard, Company F, 1-111th Aviation Battalion gathered at the Edgewood area of Aberdeen Proving Ground on Saturday morning for the unit’s deployment ceremony. 

The service lasted about 30 minutes and featured Gov. Martin O’Malley, who addressed the troops and their families.

“I can’t say thank you enough to you and all your family members that are here today,” O’Malley said. “It is a tremendous sacrifice you are making and we thank you.”

O’Malley also encouraged all of the children to write their moms, dad, aunts and uncles who will be deploying to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

“Write to them every week,” he said. “And if you can’t write then send a picture. It’s more fun than homework.”

Also deploying was 18-year-old  graduate Pfc. Matthew Jones. He received an award this week for Outstanding Junior Enlisted Soldier and is being deployed for the first time.

“We’re very proud of him,” said Jones’ father, Matthew Jones Sr. “We’ve lived in Havre de Grace most of our lives. He grew up in a bowling alley where I worked. He’s an avid bowler.

"We’re very sad to see him go, but we’re proud of him. He is going to have a lot of family here today.” 

As all of the soldiers spent time with their families before the ceremony, 11-year-old Shania Michals, sat coloring quietly next to her aunt, Spc. Portia Williams.

“Me and my aunt have a very, very good relationship,” Michals said. “I am actually hoping that she has a good time. I am feeling sad that she is leaving but I am very happy for her, too. I do have a computer that has a camera on it so we might be doing Skype. I am excited to do that.”

Pfc. Jason Thomas, 21, sat quietly with his girlfriend of four months before the ceremony, but it was his grandfather who was on his mind.

“My granddad served,” Pfc. Thomas said. “He was one of the first 50 men to receive the rank of command sergeant major. That is what inspired me to join the military. He would definitely be proud of me and it would make him smile I know."