LOUISVILLE Ky. — Approximately 300 soldiers from the U.S. Army’s V Corps at Fort Knox are headed for Germany to support NATO Allies.
Leaders says the unit’s mission is to provide a more robust presence in Europe and reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.
Major General Bob Burke says they do not know how long the troops will be deployed but will be ready for anything as the war in Ukraine continues.
They held a ceremony including prayer for troops and their families and casing of the unit colors that will be uncased upon arrival in Europe.
U.S. Army human resources technician Bill Dehaan spent the morning with his wife Jennifer before heading overseas.
“I’m just happy that my wife is able to see me off like this. It really means a lot to have the support of my family both my wife and my kids. That’s what’s really giving me the strength to keep going today,” says Dehaan.
After the ceremony, soldiers had about 15 minutes to say goodbye to their families.
This will be the first deployment for some junior officers, but it’s the sixth for Dehaan. The days he leaves his family are always tough ones.
“I think the most difficult part in my case is leaving my family back here. I do understand the reasoning behind it and it’s a good cause, so I’m absolutely honored to be a part of it, but the most difficult part is absolutely leaving my kids and my wife behind,” says Dehaan.
Troops are not sure how long they will be deployed.
Dehaan says he has prepared his family for a long deployment but will be happy if it ends up being shorter.
“I’ll never forget the first time we went through this, and it’s not easy. Don’t go into to it thinking it’s going to be,” says Dehaan’s wife Jennifer Dehaan. “This one feels a little different. For us, the most important thing is just staying strong for our children. They are almost 9 and 12, so we just keep a brave face for them, really.”
The military spouse shared advice for families experiencing deployment for the first time.
“Lean on each other, talk to your spouses, talk to your own family members, be honest about how you’re feeling as you go through this and keep in communication with your spouse as much as possible but also realize there are going to be times that you can’t. Take it day by day. That’s all you really can do,” says Jennifer.
Counting down the days until her husband returns home is not an option.
“There’s a little uncertainty when it comes to the timeline. We’ve kind of talked about it, we kind of prepared ourselves for the longer end of it, so if it’s a little bit shorter then we’re just a little bit happier,” says Bill.
He will be thousands of miles and just a phone call away from his wife and children.
“Whether I can answer right away or not, I think just having the ability for them to reach out, you know, send a text or video message or something like that. I think that’s what’s helping them,” says Bill.
He filled his phone with family memories to view whenever he needs a glimpse of home.