2002

WEEK OF ~ U'\Q ~ 11f f ~

tl'onday, June 03, 2002

....OCAL \E & S Guardsmen mi ss local events overseas .'.OR" ',G -~qo _Mississippi M a:ur.a G~a~dsmen lay ..... -a.. "of ·CY a ...... nway at a U.S. ( " .ary :)ase 'l a'l undisclosed oca:.KY' "' Southwest Asia. The gua~cs,.,..,en, members of the •86m C1v I Engineering

Squadron , are from teft Maj. Er c Bratu, Master Sgt. Edward

Davenport, Senior Airman Jameka Moore, Master Sgt. Billy Stokes, Sen1or A1rman Donald Moore, Sgt. William McDonald, Master Sgt. Ronald Arthur and Sgt. Henry Ruffin . Submitted photo

By Fredie Carmichael I staff writer June 3, 2002

The only way Dwayne Reynolds could attend his oldest daughter's graduation from East Central Community College was by listening to it on a cell phone thousands of miles away. If not for the help of his youngest daughter, the sen ior master sergeant with the Mississippi Air National Guard would have had to wait until he returned from a stint in Southwest Asia. "My youngest daughter, Kimberly, held the cell phone while Christy's name was being called out as she walked across and received her diploma," the Chunky resident said recently. Reynolds and 60 other members of the 186th Civil Engineering Squadron missed other events - from watching newborn children grow up to celebrating Mother's Day- all while fighting the war on terrorism. · Earlier this year, they began their mission to help maintain and operate "Base X" - a U.S. military base at an und isclosed location in Southwest Asia. The job is part of "Operation Enduring Freedom." Guardsmen, who were interviewed by e-mail, said they had to learn to maintain the mobile military base- which consists of soft-sided structures such as tents and shelters. WThese are intended to be temporary and can be disassembled and .. . . - have missed several special events ," said Lt. Col. Jeff Follett, 45, o' .. 1er·dian , referring to Easter and Mother's Day. My youngest son, Collin, was born on Sept. 12 last year," he said. S 11ce I have been gone, I have missed seeing him learn ing to crawl and sitting up by himself. Those events are special to me. I have received video of him, but it is not the same as being there." Reynolds, 42, said that he wished he could have seen his daughter graduate from ECCC rather than just listen to it on a cell phone. He sad h1s wife took photos and got video footage . • vas able to hear what was going on at that time and will be able to see it when I get home," he sa1d. "But to miss a milestone such as COl ege graduation when you have watched every other step , it's ·ough" Guardsmen maintain base

CARTHAGIN IAN_______ NESHOBA DEMOCRAT_____ NE~ONRECORD _______ MERIDIAN STAR.~r _______ CLARION-LEDGER.______