Families and Veterans Send Off 188th Air Defense Artillery

Thousands send off more than 200 army men and women before deployment to Washington D.C.

FARGO, N.D. — Thousands of friends, family members and veterans gathered to send off more than 200 men and women being deployed.

The 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment will leave on Saturday to help protect the nation’s capital for a year.

They will leave behind their families to serve Washington D.C.

“In a lot of ways, it’s tougher on the families than it is on the soldiers,” explained Command Sergeant Major, Josh Entzel.

This is the second time they’ve been deployed to Washington D.C.

Entzel said leaving families does not get easier the more they do it.

“I have a wife and three kids at home,” said Entzel. “Tucking them in at night, ‘Dad, why do you have to leave again?’ It’s tough and it pulls at your heart strings a little. It makes you appreciate the time you spend with them when you’re there. The more times you do it, it doesn’t get any easier and in a lot of ways it gets harder.”

But the team is still proud to serve for our country.

Although they’re not going overseas, their lives are on the line, protecting the airspace of our nation’s capital if something happens.

“I have always prided myself on taking care of soldiers as they are our most precious asset,” said Battalion Commander Lt. Colonel Jody Aucol. “And now that my kiddo is a member of the North Dakota Army National Guard, it makes that commitment even more strong.”

Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney spoke to the unit, confident in the North Dakotan soldiers’ ability to protect.

“In 2009, when we had the flood, the Guard came in,” said Mayor Mahoney. “They filled the community with confidence. They filled the community with hope. I’m especially proud to send you off tonight on this new mission because I’m gonna be in Washington in a week and I want to know I’m safer.”

Headquartered out of Grand Forks, their Mayor said this is the most deployed unit in the state.

Some are being sent out for the fourth time as veterans and family stood proud of their sacrifice.

This unit’s previous deployment to D.C. lasted from July 2013 to April 2014.