FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. (WHTM) -
The Pennsylvania National Guard held its largest deployment ceremony since 2009 on Sunday at Fort Indiantown Gap.
More than 1,000 members of the 55th Heavy Brigade Combat team are headed to Kuwait.
Commander Travis Hopper and his wife, Christina, are going through their third deployment. But it's their first with a child; 20-month-old Savannah.
"She's going to have her hands full, as you can see," said Commander Hooper.
"You're walking around the mall and you see family members holding hands, going shopping. It's those little things that you take for granted," said Christina Hooper. "So it's going to be tough, like he said, but we'll get through it."
The soldiers will be security escorts in a part of the world where thousands of American servicemen and women have died. But the 55th Heavy Brigade Combat Team will follow their marching orders with courage.
"And in the Army, you do what you're told, you don't really choose what you do, so we follow orders and complete the mission," said Commander Hopper. "I know I'm doing it for the country and also for the state and also for my family."
Governor Tom Corbett spoke at the ceremony.
"Soldiers, as you know, don't start the wars that they are asked to fight. But without fail, the members of our National Guard, when called to duty, have answered without complaint and without hesitation," said Governor Corbett. "Thank you all for your service."
"There's no more meaningful job, I think, than what he's doing. He's standing in front of our country and saying 'I will go," said Christina Hopper.
The soldiers will be deployed for one year.
