Local soldiers leaving for Iraq receive a special sendoff

by Sarah Rice (srice@wsbt.com)

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Members of the 428th Military Police Company prepare to leave for deployment in South Bend Sunday morning. (WSBT Photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Oct 26, 2008 at 10:51 AM EST

Story Updated: Nov 1, 2008 at 5:27 PM EST

SOUTH BEND -- Friends and family gathered to say goodbye as nearly 20 local soldiers left for Iraq. They're part of the Army Reserves' 428th Military Police Company in South Bend. Some of the soldiers also work for area police departments, including the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department.

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Officers made sure it was a sendoff the soldiers will never forget.

A sea of flashing lights lit up East Rose Street Sunday morning.

"It's really amazing. It really is," said Dennis Jastrzembski, father of Steven Jastrzembski.

Dozens of officers from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department gathered to send off one of their own.

"He a big part of our department," said Elkhart County Sheriff's Department Captain Sean Holmes.

Steven Jastrzembski joined the patrol division two years ago. But now he's leaving the streets and heading to a war zone.

"One of the reasons why I put on this uniform is to help my country. And that's one of the biggest things is to go over there and show another country how we do it here and so maybe they can establish a government and govern themselves," Steven Jastrzembski explained.

"He sacrifices for us every day serving the community here. He's going to sacrifice again by going overseas and being away from his family and friends and we need to let him know that we care about him and support him," said Holmes.

Nearly 20 local soldiers are leaving with the 428th Military Police Company. This will be the unit's third deployment to Iraq since 2001. There mission this time is to train the Iraqi Police.

"So we'll just be training them to be a real police force instead of us having to be in there. We do more of an advisory role and let them take take the forefront now," said 2nd Lt. John Barry.

The soldiers will be in Iraq for a year. For their families, saying goodbye is the hardest part.

"Well, it's kind of heartbreaking. But yet on the other hand you're proud of him. You know he's going with a great group of guys," said Steven Jastrzembski's mother, Millie Jastrzembski.

But Steven can't help but think about the other guys he's leaving behind.

"They have great leadership there. So that's probably the number one thing I'm going to miss the most is the just the friendship and the bond with those guys," said Steven Jastrzembski.

Two other soldiers work for the South Bend Police Department. The 428th will team up with three other military police units.

The soldiers will spend a few months training in Fort Dix, New Jersey before they head to Iraq.

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