Reservists granted Christmas leave

Local reservists belonging to the Echo Company 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry would be able to return home this December for the holiday season, according to Department of Public Safety commissioner Edward Camacho.

The commissioner, also a major in the U.S. Army, said during a press conference at his office yesterday that the soldiers have been granted a two-week leave during the holiday season.

“The deal is we’re going to let them go for about two weeks on leave status,” he said. “They can come back or they can stay in the [U.S] and have their families go there… It’s up to the soldiers.”

Camacho, who visited the troops in Hawaii before they left for further training in Texas last week, said traveling expenses for the holidays would be covered by the soldiers, but explained that cost-cutting measures may be made available.

“They [soldiers] pay for it [travel], but we’re still trying to find ways to minimize the cost of that…or take care of everyone. We’re still working that detail out; no promises however,” he said.

Camacho visited the troops, which also consist of staff from his department, while in Hawaii last week, attending their deployment ceremony last Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

“They’re motivated, they know it’s a tough thing especially leaving the loved ones they have,” he said. “They’re ready to do the right thing, and come home.”

Also at the ceremony were Civilian Aid to Secretary of the Army Ed Manibusan, Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio and Ed Pangelinan; Celina Babauta, wife of Echo Company Commander Franklin Babauta; as well as the soldiers’ families, supporters, and dignitaries of Hawaii.

The reservists trained in Hawaii with other components of the 29th Separate Infantry Brigade—including those from Guam, Hawaii, and American Samoa. They left Saipan in August.

They went through the soldier readiness process that includes a medical examination and completion of promotion packets, insurance documents and other personal affairs, and just this week left for further training at Fort Bliss, Texas, where they joined the rest of their brigade, including those coming from California and Oregon.

After their leave in December, the unit would undergo another training segment at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. This will last for another month, after which the troops will be deployed to Iraq.

The soldiers will start moving to Iraq in February of next year.

The deployment to Iraq is in response to calls by the Pentagon for U.S. Army Reserve forces to reinforce depleted missions in the Middle East and Afghanistan.