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A salute to firms adopting soldiers

A National Guard officer praises the community support given to those personnel heading for harm's way.

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published June 19, 2005

PINELLAS PARK - A colonel from the Army National Guard praised local businesses who have "adopted" soldiers who are headed for a yearlong tour in Afghanistan.

"It's a great relationship we're developing with the (Pinellas Park/Mid-County) Chamber of Commerce," said Col. Richard Gallant. "We need you. We need the support of the citizens of Florida."

Gallant is deputy commander of the 53rd Infantry Brigade of the Florida Army National Guard.

The brigade has its headquarters at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in the Gateway Centre area of Pinellas Park. The $47-million center opened last year and is one of only a few in the nation that trains both National Guard members and Army Reservists.

Gallant called the center the "nicest" in the country.

Since February, the center has been used as the jumping off point for about 1,200 of the 3,200 members of the 53rd Infantry Brigade. Those troops were mobilized in Pinellas Park before being sent to Mississippi for training.

In the next few weeks - Gallant said the actual dates are classified - those 1,200 troops will be deployed to Afghanistan where they will take over training of Afghan troops. Members of the Indiana National Guard who have had the duty will be allowed to go home.

It's all part of Task Force Phoenix.

"It was named Task Force Phoenix because we're trying to raise the Afghan national army from the ashes," Gallant said. "This is a strategically important mission."

The 1,200 will return home in August 2006.

Gallant said mobilization is, of course, hard on the soldiers and their families. But members of the chamber have tried to help things along, he said.

Starting in February or March, when soldiers began arriving and departing, chamber members decided to "adopt" them. Chamber members would show up with coffee and care packages at 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. as the soldiers were leaving. They would wave flags and cheer for the soldiers.

Now they plan to hold a Christmas party for the families who are left behind.

"These folks have been great," Gallant said.

[Last modified June 19, 2005, 00:38:17]