They're packing all of the equipment and tools they'll need for their 12-month deployment
MARQUETTE -- Specialist Argelis Giuchin has been in the U.S. Army for two years and is getting ready for his first deployment overseas. But instead of being worried, he says he's looking forward to it.
"Oh, I'm terrified," laughs Giuchin. "No, it's really not that bad, but I mean obviously there's a few risks, but we're just there to do a job."
Soldiers in the 1430th are doing inventory of all of the tools, training sets, equipment, and gear they'll need for their building projects in Afghanistan. The soldiers will be working on various construction sites for the next year.
And for those who've already been deployed, they plan on working with the less-experienced soldiers.
"I was in Iraq from 2007 to 2008 with the Ishpeming Armory, and it was a good experience; a little scary at first, but you get used to it," says Specialist Daniel Uhl. "This time I'm sure it'll be a little bit easy going."
About 160 soldiers from the company will first go to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin where they'll spend about a month on basic training and practicing what they'll be doing overseas. Then it's off to Afghanistan where they'll be stationed for a year.
"We've done a good job, we've been training hard, getting ourselves validated and ready for deployment. I feel like we're ready to go, absolutely, we've been ready for a while," Giuchin says.
The 1430th Engineer Company is leaving for Wisconsin on November 3. A sendoff ceremony is tentatively scheduled for that day at 11 a.m. at the Gladstone Armory.
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