In the photo taken by Michelle Monroe on the front page of The Weekend St. Albans Messenger above, Brion Houston (left) joins other guardsmen from the St. Albans Armory as they assemble for departure to Afghanistan.
Some comments from Brion in Michelle Monroe's article are below:
While appreciative of the project, dubbed Operation Homecoming - Brion & some of the others have mixed feelings about it.
"Personally, I don't want to come back," said Houston, 19, of St. Albans City "I think it'll be harder to come back after the formal good-bye, and then leave again. It'll be hard on my mental preparedness."
Yesterday marked Houston's first deployment. His mother, Maureen, leaves for Afghanistan with the Guard in January, six years after she spent 6 1/2 months in Afghanistan. Her other son, Caleb, 17, recently joined the Guard.
"I told Brion to take the experience for what it is," Maureen said, standing beside Brion, who said he was confident. "Look at the positive of what's happening there. And embrace the cultural changes and activities."
