RUSS CARMACK | THE NEWS TRIBUNE Flag-waving supporters gather Saturday on the I-5 Tillicum overpass in front of Camp Murray to say goodbye to the Washington Army National Guard's 81st Infantry Brigade as it began deploying to Iraq. Similar crowds clogged other area overpasses, and law enforcement estimated supporters outnumbered protesters 200 to 1.

AL GIBBS; The News Tribune

On Friday night, state corrections officer Vincent Stroup had dinner and watched a movie with his wife and daughters in their home in Aberdeen.

"It was just a quiet evening at home," he said.

On Saturday morning, Washington Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Stroup kissed his kids goodbye, told his wife "I love you," and reported to the Puyallup armory of Troop E of the 81st Infantry Brigade's 303rd Cavalry Regiment.

Within weeks, he'll be in Iraq.

For the next 18 months or so - 545 days, according to their orders - the 3,500 men and women of Washington's 81st will be active-duty soldiers.

They will undergo training at Fort Lewis, Yakima Training Center in Eastern Washington and probably in Southern California before heading for the Middle East.

Saturday, as men like Stroup packed duffel bags with clothes and gear, some 4,000 supporters stood on freeway bridges spanning Interstate 5 from Fort Lewis to McChord Air Force Base.

There were also about 20 antiwar protesters, according to law enforcement officials.

"God Bless Our Troops," said signs held by supporters standing near the Washington Guard's headquarters at Camp Murray.

"Land of the free

"Because of the brave.

"Support our troops," read another sign.

Troop E's soldiers - all men, because they're a front-line fighting outfit - prepared for next week, when they'll move to Fort Lewis.

Their armory was filled with exhaust from a tank that had been moved out.

A soldier armed with webbed gear and a boombox walked to a storage area. Another strolled by with spare boots and gloves.

Spc. Sean Tidwell was hooking a filter to his gas mask. He's been to Iraq before - twice, in 1991 for the first Persian Gulf War, again in 1994. He's a turret mechanic on a Bradley fighting vehicle.

"My wife's former military so she understands," the 35-year-old Roy resident said. "She's not too happy, but she knows this is what I do."

Capt. Douglas Palmer's fiancée understands, too.

She works in the 81st's personnel office. She'll be in Iraq with him.

Until Saturday, Palmer was Troop E's commander. But after an afternoon change-of-command ceremony he'll be promoted to major and moved to brigade operations as a coordinator of ground and air movements.

It was not a change the 37-year-old Palmer wanted.

"We're like a family," he said of Troop E.

"These are the best NCOs and guys in the brigade. ... I didn't want to leave this unit," he added.

Palmer should know. His father was the brigade's first commander when it was formed in Centralia in 1968. His two sons, David, 12, and Grant, 8, have been playing on tanks since shortly after they were born.

"They've seen it on TV," he said of news coverage on U.S. troops in Iraq. "They're not really too excited."

Neither were Spc. Jeremiah Thomas' daughters or granddaughters.

"But that's what I signed up to do," Thomas said, "defend this country."

Thomas, 47, has served 20 years in uniform. He could have retired and not gone to Iraq. But he decided not to.

"I'm just gonna hang around 'til they boot me out," he said. "I just like doin' this and bein' around these guys."

And when he left home Saturday morning, what did he say to his wife?

"I told her I loved her," he said, "and that I'll be back."

Al Gibbs: 253-597-8650
al.gibbs@mail.tribnet.com