For the soldiers of the 36th Sustainment Brigade of the Temple National Guard, Dickens’ words run deep.
They will be deployed to Iraq next summer for 12 months, meaning they won’t be home for Christmas next year.
The brigade’s annual Christmas party was Sunday at the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center, where soldiers and their families could spend time together before their deployment.
Temple Mayor Bill Jones III and Belton Mayor Jim Covington were there to designate Dec. 7, 2008, as “36th Sustainment Brigade Day.”
Col. Sean Ryan said about 300 people attended the party and there were many families there that will have both parents in Iraq.
Ryan said to make this Christmas special, he will take his leave from work early to spend more time with his family. His youngest son will turn 3 on the day he leaves for Iraq.
Command Sgt. Maj. Beth Shockley is a single mother and will be leaving her teenage son in the care of her friend and her mother for the second time.
“I’m very lucky to have my mother and friend to help take care of my son while I’m away,” she said.
Shockley said the families who support soldiers inspire and motivate her to serve her soldiers.
“You can become very lonely,” Sgt. Desaree Acosta said about life when her husband is deployed.
Acosta’s husband is in Iraq now.
She said that since 2003 she and her husband have spent a total of 16 months together because when one of them returns home, the other is deployed.
jthompson@temple-telegram.com
