Two good Americans from Richmond, Indiana
The Palladium Item in Richmond, Indiana, writes about two Guardsmen just back from the peace-keeping mission in Bosnia in southeastern Europe. One of the Guardsmen is ready to quit after two overseas missions, the other wants to stay on for an expected deployment in Afghanistan.
But while Atwell is planning to get out of the National Guard in June, Mercer plans to stay on.
Both expect their Guard unit to be deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan in the years’ ahead.
“I’ve put my kids through two deployments, and that’s enough,” said Atwell, a sergeant in the Indiana National Guard. “They don’t understand why I have to leave, so I’m not going to put them through another one. And, if I stay in, I know there will be another one.”
Atwell and Mercer, also a sergeant, were deployed to Bosnia for seven months in 2002. Atwell lives in Richmond; Mercer lives just north of Webster.
Mercer said he is thrilled to be home and is excited about “getting back in a routine and getting back to work.” But he will stay on in the Guard.
“I’m planning to make it a career,” he said.
And he knows another deployment will occur.
“I’ve heard we may be setting up a stabilization force in Afghanistan or Iraq,” he said. “I know it’s just a matter of time. We’re very well trained and we’re trained to handle anything. I believe that by the time we get over there there won’t be as much shooting.”
