495th departs with ceremony, tears

Tears welling up in DeeAnn Mooney’s eyes spoke more profoundly than words of the emotions felt by hundreds of friends and family Monday at the Hilton Garden Inn departure ceremony for about 60 soldiers with the Montana Army National Guard’s 495th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.

DeeAnn’s husband, Sgt. Maj. Tom Mooney, was scheduled to fly to Fort Hood in Texas this morning with the 495th unit for about six weeks of training before deploying to Afghanistan.

“It’s scary,” DeeAnn said.

She stood with daughter Kendall, 14, and son Kellen, 16, under the comforting arm of her husband. Part of the 495th leadership, Tom Mooney lives in Missoula but has been with this unit for seven years.

This marks Mooney’s second deployment to Afghanistan. In 2008, he served as an embedded trainer with the Afghan Army.

Mooney said that experience helped him feel less anxious this time since he knows what to expect.

“My comfort level is much higher. I feel good — ready to go,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of training. We’ve had a year and a half to train.”

According to Mooney, the soldiers will continue at Fort Hood on live fire exercise ranges as well as on specific types of vehicles called MRAPs.

“That’s a truck that’s designed to have higher survivability,” he said. “It’s a well-armored truck.” 

Capt. Erik Oberg of Kalispell echoed Mooney’s comments as he waited for the ceremony with his wife Sabrina, their three children and his parents Don and Dale Oberg of Lolo. He deployed once before to Iraq, returning home in 2010. 

He said the many weeks of training prepared him and the other soldiers for their mission.

“We’ll be doing support operations for the area,” he said. 

Oberg, a full-time guard specialist in logistics, described their services as providing anything the soldiers need to sustain themselves and their mission. He said about 30 to 40 percent of the 495th had previously deployed to the Middle East.

“That’s a good mix,” he said.

A soldier facing his first deployment, Capt. John Bowe admitted to some apprehension. Like the others, he said the guard prepared them well and that the 495th unit has a lot of maturity, experience and skills.

“I’m very confident in my own ability and that of the unit to stand up and perform admirably,” Bowe said.

He attended the ceremony with his wife Julie, who said that John had prepared her “to keep everything rolling smoothly at home.” The couple, who have five children, live outside Missoula where he works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and she works as a dental assistant. 

The Bowes and the other families expect to maintain good contact through email, Skype, telephone calls and letters. 

Lasting about 40 minutes, the departure ceremony included an introduction of officials, singing of the national anthem, invocation and traditional “reading of the order.” The reading began with orders dated Sept. 14, 2001, just two days after the terrorist attacks on America, and ended with one dated Nov. 3, ordering the 495th to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Remarks followed by Maj. Gen. Matt Quinn, adjutant general for the state of Montana. He reflected back to the time just after 9/11.

“We knew within the National Guard that our lives were going to change,” he said. 

Quinn said the 495th found out about 10 years ago that it was very likely going to war. He took the unit to battle in Iraq in 2003. 

At the time, the soldiers were training in the old armory that was located where the Hilton was later built — where the Monday ceremony was held. 

“It was a much different time of preparation,” he said. “Times certainly are different, yet times are the same.”

Quinn said it is never easy to send family members to war, but he said the soldiers have received the top training the guard can provide. He said the guard has the right leadership in Lt. Col. Kevin Settle and Mooney.

“They’ll protect them as they go,” he said. “The soldiers know that they have a job to do. They need to rely on that training that they have been provided and they’ll do great things for Montana as they always have.”

Settle followed Quinn. As battalion commander In Afghanistan, he will oversee the 495th as well as all subordinate units consisting of 1,200 soldiers and 350 civilian contractors in the southern sector.

He reviewed the “strong lineage” of the unit as reflected by a display of flags and battle streamers brought to the Hilton for the ceremony. Settle said the Montana Militia traces its roots back to 1867, was formalized as the Montana National Guard in 1887 and served in every major conflict since.

He said the streamers were earned with the blood and effort of soldiers from this community and others in Montana. As he wrapped up his remarks, Settle addressed Quinn, the other dignitaries and family and friends.

“We will live up to this great legacy, just as you did,” he said. “We look forward to your warm welcome when we return home one year from today.”

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.