From Deseret News archives:

Guard duty yanks LDS off missions

Idaho unit being shipped off to Iraq this week

Published: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 7:34 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
POCATELLO, Idaho — As a missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Garrett Hess didn't expect to be called to join his Idaho National Guard unit and eventually be shipped off to Iraq.

Hess, a private first class with the Guard's 116th Cavalry Brigade, learned he was mistaken.

"I thought it was a joke," said Hess, who was serving on a mission in Columbus, Ohio, when he heard the news. "But my mission president pulled me aside and said I might be sent home."

Hess, of Malad, said he and 21 other Guardsmen in his brigade returned from missions, some from as far away as Argentina, after receiving their orders. Hess returned to Idaho on May 25 and leaves this week on a tour that will eventually land him in Iraq.

Lt. Col. Tim Marsano, Idaho Guard spokesman, said the Idaho Guard does not differentiate between its members.

"If the organization is called to active duty, members of that organization should be ready to take the call," he said.

Hess said he knew of no other time when missions were terminated for service orders. He doubts he will return to his mission upon returning from Iraq.

"They wouldn't advise it," he said. "But I could."

In Utah, the Utah National Guard has declined to interrupt current LDS missions of its Guardsmen.

Story continues below
"We determined at the beginning of this, 18 months ago, that we have a lot of soldiers on LDS missions who are a part of MI (military intelligence) units and unless it was critical or emergency type situations, we wouldn't pull them back," Lt. Col. Brad Blackner, of the Utah National Guard said Sunday.

Blackner said Maj. Gen. Brian Tarbet, of Utah, made the call. Soldiers who had not yet been sent on a LDS mission would be deployed with the mobilization of their units, he said.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

What a fun game to watch!! I love seeing the Aggs step up huge on defense. I...

Take of your Rose-colored glasses and watch the game again. Y'all got beat...

Hey guys... what does BYU and Swag have in common??......... They both get...

Aggies shoot past Cougars

Way to go AGGIES!! Can't wait till UNLV comes into Provo and punks them again.

2 citations issued at Y.-U. game

From an example of a law abiding citizen, Rodney King ..."U of U and BYU...

Aggies shoot past Cougars

First, you must bleed that parched, ugly, awful royal blue, because that's...

I did not know anyone in the accident, I am not from this area; but the...

Yum...I want some now.

Sloan gets 1-year extension

don't get me wrong, i have tons of respect for coach sloan and what he's done...

If we could only figure out a use ( like the presto-logs from sawdust ) for...

Advertisements