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Some Oklahoma troops starting their 4th tours

 
By Jessica Jackson | Published: June 9, 2008    Comment on this article Leave a comment

LEXINGTON — Hundreds of Oklahomans gathered Sunday morning in Lexington to say goodbye to loved ones leaving for Iraq during a deployment ceremony for the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

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Jun 82-149 General Support Aviation Battalion 90th Troop...

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Sgt. David Tillman of Hennessey hugs his children, Meagan, 6, and Patrick, 7, on Sunday after a deployment ceremony of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 2-149 General Support Aviation Battalion in Lexington. BY SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN

The soldiers, of 2-149 General Support Aviation Battalion, 90th Troop Command, will spend two months training at Fort Sill, and then will go to Iraq, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Carlos Cascante.

While some soldiers deployed on bus, others took helicopters to Fort Sill. The crowd cheered and waved as the helicopters doubled back around to fly over family and friends one last time before leaving.

The soldiers will be gone for a year, Cascante said.

"It's awfully hard leaving family,” he said. "Actually, I think the families don't get enough credit for allowing us to leave.”

Liz Joslin, whose ex-husband left Sunday, said the experience is scary for the family.

"I don't want this to be the last memory for a 3-year-old of his dad,” she said.

She said her son, Skylar, speaks proudly of his father.

"He sees an American flag and says, ‘That's my daddy's flag,'” she said.

During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Harry M.

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