Encircled by American flags, family, friends and well wishers of the Minnesota Army National Guard 849th Mobility Augmentation Company unit said goodbye to their soldiers Wednesday.

Tears and applause filled the Litchfield Civic Arena at the deployment ceremony of 117 guardsmen and women, who will spend a year in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty spoke at the send-off ceremony, praising the soldiers for their dedication, honor, duty, strength, courage and selflessness.

“The real heros in the United States of America are the folks standing right over here,” said Pawlenty, drawing a standing ovation.

Also speaking at the ceremony were 1st Sgt. Richard Johnson of the 849th unit, Lt. Col. Daniel Hoben of the 682nd Engineering Battalion and Lt. Jeff Smith, MAC commander, who spoke via video from Iraq.

Spc. Brandon Welker, 20, of Litchfield, said the night was one of mixed emotions.

“You try to stay strong and keep everyone strong around you,” Welker said. This will be his first deployment.

“I feel a lot of pride and also a lot of fear,” his mother, Susan Holt, said. “I guess the only way to describe it is a bittersweet moment.”

Speakers thanked families for their sacrifice in going on without a husband, wife, son, daughter, father or mother for several months.

“We know that while you may not be wearing the uniform, we know that you serve, too, and the burden is very heavy,” said Pawlenty, urging the community at large to reach out and the families not to be afraid to ask for help.

Spc. Jeremiah Johnson of Benson said it will be difficult to be separated from his family, especially since his wife is expecting their second child. While it is hard to leave wife Bonnie, and son, Josiah, 5, he’s ready for his mission.

“I am very honored to go over there,” the 28-year-old soldier said.

While families and soldiers may wonder where to find the strength to endure the coming year apart and the mission at hand, Col. Joseph Kelly, chief of staff for the Minnesota Army National Guard, told the audience they will find strength for the days that lie ahead.

“I assure you that you will find the strength from whatever source who draw to get through this deployment,” Kelly said. “Whatever you are a solder in Iraq or a loved one here in Minnesota, the human spirit is amazingly strong and very resilient.”

The unit is part of the 682nd Engineer Battalion, headquartered in Willmar. The soldiers, who hail from 43 Minnesota communities, left Litchfield Thursday morning for Camp Shelby, Miss., where they will undergo three months of pre-deployment training before serving as security forces in Iraq.

“You are Minnesota soldiers and that makes you among the very best our army has among its ranks,” Kelly said.

Read more in next week’s print edition, the June 14 Independent Review.