Kentucky National Guard brigade honored ahead of overseas deployment

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- Friends, family and the community gathered Sunday to say their goodbyes as more than 100 Kentucky National Guard soldiers prepare for deployment.

The 138th Field Artillery Brigade, Kentucky Thunder were honored through a ceremony at Transy University.

The Lexington-based unit will deploy to southwest Asia for nearly nine months to help impact and accelerate the ongoing work with U.S. allies and enhance a regionally networked air and missile defense. Their goal is to help maintain peace and security in the region.

Governor Andy Beshear and other national guard leadership spoke at the event. We spoke with families and troop members today about their emotions ahead of the deployment.

“In a lot of ways, it’s probably the hardest part of it.Missing their life and missing whats going to happen over the next nine and half, ten months together. So, we’ll definitely miss each other, but having kids involved in it, it changes things,” says. Lt. Col. Shane Blankenship.

“It doesn’t get easier. I think you develop a different kind of pride and sense of knowing that God’s called him to it and so you move into it knowing He’s gonna go before you,” says Blankenship’s wife, Hannah.

The brigade will be deployed within the next day.