The Marines received last-minute instructions as they packed their gear, preparing to be gone for a year.
Jason Saylor said, “It is never easy. It needs to be done.”
“There is a lot of uncertainty. Try to take it in stride, and not let it get to me,” said Lance Cpl. Mike Tazal.
Tazal is one of several Marines making their first trip to Iraq, and he will be watching closely as others in his unit make return trips.
He said, “There are some great guys that have been there before me. I’ll draw knowledge from them.”
The Marines will link up with several other units for training at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina and then it is off to California before heading to Iraq.
The Marines are expecting to go to Anbar Province, one of Iraq’s most dangerous spots, and be involved in things like convoy security.