Franklin County residents SPC Shane Wood, SGT Kent Gable, SPC Brittany Schulte and SSG Robbie Richardson are all members of the 877th Engineering Battalion, which is deploying for Afghanistan. Photo by Beth Pounders.

By Beth Pounders

For the FCT

Friends and family gathered at Haleyville Middle School on Saturday, April 5 for HHC 877^th Engineering Battalion Deployment Ceremony.

Eighty-one soldiers left on Sunday, April 6 for Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Following their preparation at Fort Bliss, they will be deployed to Afghanistan for a total of 11 months of duty.

During the short ceremony, several commanding officers spoke about the 877th‘s history and what it means to be a soldier.

BG Charles Gable defined what it is to be a patriot.

“A patriot is someone who gives of their selves on behalf of others,” he said.

CSM Eddie Pike, LTC Kelton E. Pankey and Joe Fitzgerald of the Blue Star Foundation also spoke, encouraging the soldiers and thanking the families.

CSM Pike presented LTC Pankey with a flag to fly over the 877th’s base.

The families were also encouraged to be there for each other during this time, and to not worry about the soldiers while they are away.

“Let them inspire you,” Gable said.

The ceremony ended with 1^st LT Tim Saccucci, chaplain of the 877^th, reciting Psalm 91 followed with prayer.

The ceremony was a great way for the community to show support for the 877th as they begin their tour of service to this country.

Franklin County has four soldiers who are members of the 877^th Engineering Battalion that will be deploying to Afghanistan – SPC Brittany Schulte and SSG Robbie Richardson of Russellville, SGT Kent Gable of Phil Campbell, and SPC Shane Wood of Red Bay.

SSG Richardson and SPC Schulte are both serving as medics.  SPC Wood is a combat engineer, and SGT Gable works in battalion supply.

The 877^th will be working on engineering projects during their tour in Afghanistan.

The hardest thing about leaving for these four soldiers is leaving family and friends behind.

SPC Wood said he will especially miss his grandfather.

“My grandparents are getting up in age,” he said. “My grandfather is 81 and we are really close.”

Deployment can be just as hard on the families as it is on the soldiers. This is the third deployment for the 877^th, but the second deployment for the four Franklin County soldiers.  Deborah Wood, mother of SPC Wood, gave some advice for other parents.

“Pray, pray, pray,” she said, “but never listen to the news.”

Advice for spouses came from Tawanna Richardson, wife of SSG Richardson.

“Learn to do a lot of stuff [yourself] and don’t tell your soldier all the problems from home,” she said.

Wood went on to explain that even though this is the second deployment for her son, it is still not easy for her.

“It’s harder the second time, because I know what he is going through,” she said.

Despite how tough it was for the soldiers to depart from their families, the general mood at the ceremony was bittersweet.

“It is a privilege to be able to serve our great country but hard to leave our families behind,” said LTC Pankey.

Upon returning from Afghanistan, SPC Schulte will continue nursing school and SPC Wood plans to attend the Police Academy. SSG Richardson will continue his full-time job as the Medical Readiness NCO for the 877th. SGT Gable will return as a local truck driver for Sims Bark.