Guard families gather for dinner, encouragement

CAMP WILLIAMS — Brenton and Brandon Webb know what they want for Christmas — Dad to be home.

Dad, also known as Sgt. Donald Webb with the Utah Army National Guard 1457th Combat Engineer Battalion, is in Iraq. But it looks like January will be the soonest he can make it home.

Families of soldiers with the 1457th, in Iraq for most of 2003, met Saturday night for dinner and words of support from each other.

It also helped a little that Colonial Flag, one of the evening's sponsors, threw in a little patriotic ceremony.

Gen. Brian Tarbet offered encouragement.

"I want you to know what a great job your soldiers are doing," he said of the "go to" unit, known for getting high profile assignments.

"They're going to finish their mission. . . . They're going to come home and we're going to give them one whale of a reception," Tarbet added. He told families to keep their heads up and that "it ain't over till it's over.

"It's over when they're back here in this parking lot and, God willing, we'll have them back in April." There currently are about 3,000 National Guard and Reserve troops from Utah serving in Iraq.

After his speech, Tarbet said he is confident a spring homecoming will happen because the wheels already are in motion to mobilize replacements for the 1457th.

That was good news for lots of people on hand Friday.

Charn Burton's husband, Lt. Col. Jeff Burton, has been deployed for 11 months.

"It seems like an eternity," she said. Her children generally see the stronger side of Mom, but there have been many times she can't help but cry.

Elinor Smith was in the National Guard and served in Desert Storm. Her husband Sgt. 1st Class Brett Smith, also in Iraq, has four children at home who'd like to see his safe return. She helped organize Saturday's event.

"I really thought it was important for all of us to get together for Christmas," Smith said. She has helped coordinate efforts to send gifts, care packages and Christmas decorations to the troops.

The ones who struggle most, Smith added, are the kids, who she says make the biggest sacrifice. On Saturday, they received gifts including framed pictures of their fathers, dog tags and teddy bears.

Some soldiers were lucky and able to be at Camp Williams with their families.