Yellow ribbons for 639th go up on Saturday

The public is invited to help hang yellow ribbons on Saturday, Dec. 19, for the Montana National Guard 639th Quartermaster Supply Company’s anticipated homecoming from its second deployment to Iraq.

The homecoming date has not yet been announced but is expected sometime within the next several weeks. The unit left in January.

“We’re hoping to aim early so we are not too late in welcoming them home,” volunteer Heidi Roedel said.

“If we do find out when they are coming home, it will be a last-minute thing and we will try to get the word out through local radio.”

Scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, the decorating event kicks off at Kalispell’s Depot Park, where volunteers are asked to meet to pick up yellow ribbons along with instructions and assigned areas to cover.

Roedel, the wife of a retired 639th soldier, said their group encourages Flathead Valley businesses to put “Welcome Home 639th AM Supply Co.,” “Thank You 639th AM Supply Co.” or similar sentiments on their windows, reader boards and signs.

If a business would like an e-mail as a reminder closer to the time of arrival, a representative may make a request to standupamerica2@gmail.com.

The 639th soldiers are stationed near Baghdad. According to Capt. Jeremy Hedges, 639th soldiers come from all over the state with a few from out of state.

The group’s armories are located in Kalispell, Libby and Havre.

“We are a supply company and we distribute fuel, water, food, vehicle parts and general supplies,” Hedges said in an e-mail.

The unit deployed to Iraq the first time from December 2003 to March 2005.

Roedel said weather will not impact plans for the decorating day.

“If our soldiers can put up with temperatures over 100 degrees, we can tough it, too,” she said.

The Scott Vallely Memorial Fund is sponsoring this event. Donations to help with the cost of ribbons, banners and signs may be made online by clicking the special button at www.soldiersmemorialfund.org.