Guard Units Return From Iraq

National Guard units from four Tennessee cities arrived in Smyrna today after serving ten months in Iraq.

Soldiers from the 771st and 776th maintenance companies say the country has become more peaceful, and better prepared for an American drawdown.

The deployment to Taji, some 20 miles north of Baghdad, marked the second time in Iraq for the guard units from Centerville, Hohenwald, Elizabethton and Mountain City. Some have also deployed there additional times as volunteers with other units.

This was Sergeant First Class Michael Branhan’s third deployment to Iraq.

“It’s changed a lot since the first time I was over there. There’s actually a lot more peace going on. There’s been a lot of building of new schools and hospitals, and trying to make their lives a lot better than what they already are.”

The groups’ role included training Iraqi forces to maintain equipment as Americans draw down over the next year.

Sergeant Mary Hayes says Iraqi forces are up to that handoff.

“I think the insurgents are going to give them a little trouble, but I think they’ll be able to handle it. I think we trained them well.”

Since September 11, 2001, Tennessee has deployed over 17 thousand guardsmen to Iraq, Afghanistan and other missions.

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Branhan says his family has gotten used to the strain of his deployments.

“My wife’s kind of used to it and my kids are all grown so they’re kind of used to it too. Altogether this is my fifth or sixth deployment from active duty and National Guard, so they’re kind of like soldiers in it now too.”

Branhan says overall the Guard is holding up well; he says it’s still deployed less than active duty troops.