As Violence in Iraq Rises, Mississippi Soldiers Deploy

Members of the Oxford and Indianola units of the Mississippi National Guard’s 155th Brigade Combat Team line up before deploying on Friday.

3,400 Mississippi soldiers are now at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg preparing to head to Iraq – most for a second time. MPB’s Cari Gervin reports.

When the 51 units of the Mississippi National Guard’s 155th Brigade Combat Team went to Iraq in January 2005, violence against U.S. soldiers was at a peak.

Close to 900 American soldiers died during the year they were there, including more than a dozen members of the brigade.

Violence in Iraq has dropped dramatically since then, but 18 servicemen were killed in April – the deadliest month for US forces since last September. And violence against civilians is also on the rise.

First Sergeant John Moyer is in charge of the Oxford and Indianola units. He said that despite the violence in April, he feels much more confident this time around.

“Of course the people over there – that’s our main job is to really look after the citizens over there – and to keep each other safe, of course. So knowing that the violence is down against soldiers is just a ‘Hooray!’ to me. I mean, anytime you’re not in danger near as much as you previously were is a big inspiration, I guess.”

But for families anxiously waiting at home, any uptick in violence is upsetting. Lashundra Wooten’s brother left for his second tour of duty Friday. She says there’s only one way to deal with him being gone:

“Pray they came back just like they left here. And we just keep praying for them. Know God gonna watch over them – send ‘em back like he took em away.”

The 155th will deploy to Iraq sometime in June. For MPB News, I’m Cari Gervin in Oxford.