Full of resolve and faith in their mission, 2,500 CFB Petawawa soldiers prepared for a six-month deployment to Afghanistan on Friday.
Families gathered at the base to farewell the soldiers, who will be shipped out over the coming weeks. The base held a departure ceremony and a family fun day to celebrate and support the troops.
Some family members said the day was an emotional one.
"I don't want him to go, but I'm definitely very, very proud, very proud," said Mel Dickin, sister of Private Brad Dickin.
"I will miss being able to see them," said Priv. Dickin of his family. "And like Mom said, being able just to pick up the phone and call them. I won't have that option all the time over there. I'll miss being able to stay in touch with them."
Private Jarod Ibbotson was preparing to farewell his wife and two children. His wife is expecting their third child.
"She's a very strong woman," Ibbotson said of his wife. "She's great in her own right, you know. She doesn't need me to make her great. She's great by herself. She'll be just fine."
Ibbotson plans to be there for his wife's delivery. While he is away, he said, he will miss family times the most. His mind, however, is focused on the mission.
"What makes it easy, really, is having all these guys with us, the guys on my left and my right," said Ibbotson. "You're potentially putting your life in somebody else's hands, and I'm absolutely confident in doing that with the guys I'm with."
Commanders at CFB Petawawa are already planning for the next deployment in the spring of 2010.
More to come...
