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Under tight security, the deployment ceremony for the 115 members of the Delaware National Guard 261st Signal Brigade took on added meaning with the appearance of Delaware senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph “Joe” R. Biden Jr.
Sen. Biden has attended several deployment ceremonies on Legislative Mall, but this one on Friday, Oct. 3, was special. He was there with other Biden family members to send off his son, Capt. Joseph “Beau” R. Biden III, Delaware’s attorney general.
Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala put the day into perspective when he said Biden has many titles, but the title he is most proud of is father.
Biden, who was whisked from the vice presidential debate in St. Louis the night before, spoke less than three minutes – on advice from his son. “I come today as you prepare to deploy as a father – a father who got some sage advice from his son this morning, ‘Dad, keep it short, we’re in formation,’” he said.
The 261st, based in Smyrna, left for a 12-month deployment to Iraq on Sunday, Oct. 5. Its first stop is four to six weeks of training at Fort Bliss, Texas. Taking the place of an Army unit, the 261st will ensure that all tactical units in the Iraqi theater are supplied with voice and data communications – the first time a National Guard unit has been charged with this responsibility.
“Like all family members here today, my heart is full of love and pride,” Biden said to the more than 1,000 family, friends and guests gathered on Legislative Mall in Dover. “We take comfort in the knowledge that you are the best-prepared group of citizen soldiers our country and this state has ever sent into harm’s way.”
Biden emphasized the importance of the National Guard family – a theme of the event. “As you serve and look out for your brothers and sisters, your families here at home, I promise you, will look out for one another,” he said. “Stand strong, stand together, serve honorably and come home to your families who love you.”
Members of the 261st stood in formation throughout the ceremony in an aisle between rows of chairs where their loved ones sat. Some family members wore yellow T-shirts to show support of the departing soldiers.
In between prayers for their safe return, family members broke into wild applause in support of their heroes.
Vavala tried to keep the focus on the reason for the ceremony as he spoke prior to the ceremony to the large press corps assembled in a secured area near the stage.
“Sen. Biden has every right to be here; he’s the father of a soldier,” he said. “But we need to keep the focus on the families and the soldiers. They are making great sacrifices.”
Capt. Alexander Letthand of Lincoln said no one looked at Biden’s attendance as more than another father paying tribute to his son. “It was not a distraction; it was great to see him here,” he said. “The attention is great because it shows we have the state behind us.”
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner called members of the National Guard the “epitome of all Delaware citizens.”
“I much prefer coming home ceremonies and we all look forward to the day you come home to your families,” she said to the troops. “We are safe here because you are there.”
Brig. Gen. Scott E. Chambers, commander of the 261st, told his soldiers they are prepared for the long and arduous journey ahead of them. “I told them this morning that the road home is through Iraq, so let’s do it,” he said. “You are ready for the challenges ahead.”
Alyssa Boyer, wife of Capt. Linden Boyer III, summed up what most relatives were thinking. “I’m ready for him to go but have already started the countdown for him to come home. We all support him 100 percent,” she said. “We’ll get into a routine and just wait for him to come home.”
Because the unit specializes in communications, keeping in touch with family members will be a priority. Sgt. James Pernol of Harrington said he was worried about his wife taking over running the household.
“This is her first time taking over, but we both have laptops and we will stay in touch with web cams,” he said. “We all want to get this done and over with and get back home.”
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