By Amy Sienicki
 
May 11, 2009
 
MERLIN, Ore. - Several hundred family and friends filled the Grants Pass Armory Monday to say their goodbyes to Oregon National Guard soldiers headed to Iraq.
 
The send-off was organized by Evergreen Federal Bank, who gave away close to 1,000 flags to to the community to hold as troops marched through the crowd.
 
"These men and women are going out risking their lives everyday. It's important for the community to show that it's appreciated, that everyone cares what they are doing. That they are not forgotten," says Rebecca Webb, whose husband is deploying.
 
"It helps my kids see that he is doing something good and he's not just leaving us," says Jennifer Rogers.
 
The troops headed to Fort Stewart in Georgia, where they will spend several weeks focusing on team based training. From there, they will head to Iraq. Their mission while overseas will be convoy security. Their expected return date to Oregon is May 2010.
 
Nearly 3,000 Oregon soldiers will deploy this year, the largest deployment the ONG has seen since World War II.