Nevada Army National Guard soldiers prepare for tour in Iraq

By Jeff Pope

Thursday, April 9, 2009 | 7:52 p.m.

More Nevadans are leaving home to serve their country in Iraq and Kuwait.

The 1864th Transportation Co. will stop at Camp Atterbury, Ind., on Friday with 160 soldiers of the Nevada Army National Guard before heading to Kuwait.

The soldiers will be gone for a year, spending eight months of that time hauling equipment and supplies between Kuwait and Iraq.

Most of the group — about 130 soldiers — are valley residents. They said goodbye to their families Thursday at a mobilization ceremony at the Clark County Armory in North Las Vegas.

This is the second stint in Iraq for the unit, which drove more than 3.5 million miles and saw 65 enemy engagements during a yearlong mission in 2004-2005.

The unit abounds with combat experience. About 75 soldiers have served at least one tour in Iraq and about 20 are full-time Guardsmen, said the 1864th’s commander, Capt. Derek Imig.

“This is good. You bring a little bit more experience,” he said. “You’re a little step ahead because you do it everyday.”

The unit was told almost a year ago that it would deploy this spring, giving the soldiers ample time to train, Imig said.

“This is really the most prepared unit ever to deploy out of the state of Nevada,” he said. “We’ve been given the most notice for deployment and we’ve had the ability to reshape our training so many different times to refocus on the actual mission.”

Maj. Gen. Cindy Kirkland said the unit has excelled in the past and garnered many accolades for its service. During its last tour in Iraq, the unit received 20 Bronze Stars — given for heroic or meritorious achievement or service — and 92 Combat Action Badges, which recognizes direct engagement in battle.

“You’re probably one of the units that’s been tasked the most and been mobilized on multiple occasions and each and every time stepped up to that challenge without hesitation,” Kirkland said.

When Guardsmen deploy, they leave behind civilian jobs and the comforts of home, said Brig. Gen. Frank Gonzales, commander of the Nevada Army National Guard.

“When a Nevada soldier or Guardsmen goes to war, so does a Nevada citizen,” he said.

This will be the third deployment to Iraq for Sgt. James Eddings of Las Vegas. He is a third-generation soldier in his family. He was deployed on his first tour with Nevada’s 593rd Transportation Co., which was rotating out when the 1864th was arriving in 2004.

“I’m excited to go with this unit, and I think we’ll do an outstanding job over there,” he said.

Sgt. Edward Lauron is deploying for the first time. The 22-year-old Las Vegan is expecting his time overseas to be a coming-of-age experience.

“It’s going to be an experience out there I’m sure. I just want to come back with a head on my shoulders,” he said. “I think I’ll definitely grow up out there.”