MONROE - Sgt. Jennifer Valencia is apprehensive about her upcoming overseas deployment, but she's aware that's she's not alone in either her sacrifice or her patriotism.
"There are other parents over there who have been there for a while who want to come home," Valencia said. "I volunteered to go over so that someone else didn't have to."
Valencia, a Monticello resident, has been in the military since 1999. Some of her duties in the Wisconsin Army National Guard include recruitment and administrative work. She's also learned how to operate heavy equipment and drive trucks.
Although she couldn't go into great detail about what the troops will do in Iraq, Valencia said she will be part of a security detail.
Like other members of the 829th Engineer Company, the 2000 Juda High School graduate will be part of the 32nd Brigade, which leaves Saturday for three weeks of training in Florida. The group comes back at the end of the month before two months of training in Texas. The brigade leaves for Iraq near the end of April.
The soldiers will be overseas until February 2010.
"I'll probably be nervous the day we leave, but right now I just want to get started," she said.
Valencia said it will be difficult to say goodbye to her husband, Abraham, and her 4-year-old son, Isaak.
Her husband understands why she wants to go overseas and supports her decision, she said. If he's nervous about his wife going to Iraq, he hasn't shown it, Valencia added.
Isaak, on the other hand, doesn't quite understand. He's too young, she said.
"I told him that I have to go to work for a while, but I'll send him pictures," she said.
Included in the 32nd Brigade is the 1158th Transportation Unit. The 1158th, which includes many soldiers from Green County, was mobilized for stateside duty in March 2003 and was mobilized and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq from October 2004 to December 2005.
Going to Iraq with other soldiers who already have been there is reassuring to Valencia.
"Everyone I've been drilling with will stay together," she said.
The 32nd Brigade is made up of about 3,500 Wisconsin National Guard troops. It's made up of units in 36 Wisconsin communities.
It will be the largest deployment of National Guard troops since World War II.
"There are other parents over there who have been there for a while who want to come home," Valencia said. "I volunteered to go over so that someone else didn't have to."
Valencia, a Monticello resident, has been in the military since 1999. Some of her duties in the Wisconsin Army National Guard include recruitment and administrative work. She's also learned how to operate heavy equipment and drive trucks.
Although she couldn't go into great detail about what the troops will do in Iraq, Valencia said she will be part of a security detail.
Like other members of the 829th Engineer Company, the 2000 Juda High School graduate will be part of the 32nd Brigade, which leaves Saturday for three weeks of training in Florida. The group comes back at the end of the month before two months of training in Texas. The brigade leaves for Iraq near the end of April.
The soldiers will be overseas until February 2010.
"I'll probably be nervous the day we leave, but right now I just want to get started," she said.
Valencia said it will be difficult to say goodbye to her husband, Abraham, and her 4-year-old son, Isaak.
Her husband understands why she wants to go overseas and supports her decision, she said. If he's nervous about his wife going to Iraq, he hasn't shown it, Valencia added.
Isaak, on the other hand, doesn't quite understand. He's too young, she said.
"I told him that I have to go to work for a while, but I'll send him pictures," she said.
Included in the 32nd Brigade is the 1158th Transportation Unit. The 1158th, which includes many soldiers from Green County, was mobilized for stateside duty in March 2003 and was mobilized and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq from October 2004 to December 2005.
Going to Iraq with other soldiers who already have been there is reassuring to Valencia.
"Everyone I've been drilling with will stay together," she said.
The 32nd Brigade is made up of about 3,500 Wisconsin National Guard troops. It's made up of units in 36 Wisconsin communities.
It will be the largest deployment of National Guard troops since World War II.