VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - The Lowndes County community said goodbye to the Delta Company soldiers of the Army National Guard Monday.
Earlier, these soldiers gathered with their friends, families, and community leaders to send the group off to Ft. Stewart to finish their training.
The troops will be at Ft. Stewart for a month and then they’ll be deployed to Afghanistan.
“It’s a large adjustment, very big adjustment with our other half being gone," said Lindsey Wilson, a wife to a solider.
Wilson is just one of many that came out Monday to say goodbye to her soldier.
“It means a lot to us," said Tommy Wilson, National Guard solider. “It means a lot to have everybody’s family here and the community showing support for us. This is a new thing for most of us deploying so just seeing everyone here, doing so many things for us — it’s just good to see.”
Friends, family members, children and community leaders all came out to say bye to their loved ones.
“They’re behind us a hundred percent on the way out and they’re going to be here when we get back," said Wilson.
“It’s pretty nerve-racking, knowing that he’s not going to be home for a whole nine months, not see the kids for nine months," said Lindsey.
Wilson said it will be just as hard for him.
“It’s a mixed emotion," he said. I’m glad to be going but at the same time, I know it’s going to be hard on them as well as me, being that far apart for that long. We’ll work it out. It’ll be good in the end."
Not all his emotions are bad, Wilson said.
“I’m excited. This’ll be my first time. I’m ready to go experience this. There’s always a little bit of nervous factor involved in it but mainly excited just to take it as an adventure," Wilson added.
Family members and community leader planned to line up on the route out of town to say goodbye to these soldiers.
