Maine now ranks third in deployment of troops

WESTBROOK – Sgt. 1st Class Brian Dill won’t see his children, 7-month-old Sarah and 4-year-old Hannah, for 16 months.

“It’s something that you plan for but you never really think it’s going to happen,” the 33-year-old said, watching Sarah as she gripped an American flag in her tiny hand and sucked contentedly on a pacifier.

With the deployment of Dill and dozens of fellow soldiers last week, Maine now ranks third in the nation for biggest percentage of National Guard personnel deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

More than 64 percent, or 1,313 National Guard members from Maine, are now on active duty, according to the National Guard Bureau in Alexandria, Va. That includes troops deployed overseas and those remaining stateside. Only 744 National Guard troops are left in Maine.

Only Washington state and South Dakota have higher percentages of their troops deployed, at 66 percent and 65 percent, the bureau said.

As the war in Iraq continues, Pentagon officials are relying more heavily on National Guard and Reserve forces from across the country.

Nearly 40 percent of the 110,000 U.S. troops expected to arrive in Iraq this year are National Guardsmen and reserves. That compares with about a 20 percent share of the current force of 130,000 troops in Iraq.

Maine’s engineering specialties are in high demand overseas, especially during the reconstruction phase of the Iraqi war, said Maine Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Mark J. Collins.

“This is what these guys do. They’re out there building roads, building hospitals. This battery has the capability to do that,” Collins said.

Dill was one of 520 members of the 133rd Engineering Battalion, which shipped out last week to Fort Drum, N.Y., before going overseas.

Joining the group at month’s end will be 2nd Lt. Amanda Bolduc, a platoon leader who will be leaving behind her 4-month-old daughter.

Also last week, 124 members of the 152nd Field Artillery Battalion shipped out from Waterville.

Even though a majority of Maine’s guard is now deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Maine National Guard spokesman Maj. Pete Rogers said there are still enough troops to handle emergencies or other concerns at home. “If something were to happen, we’d be able to handle it,” he said.

The majority of states, 37, have between 20 percent to 49 percent of their troops deployed. Nine states have more than half deployed and five states have between 10 percent to 19 percent deployed. Three have fewer than 1 percent deployed.

Waiting to leave Westbrook last Tuesday, Spc. Scott Caron said he was anxious to go. The 29-year-old said he found out he’d be deploying during his first day on a new job. He’s an accountant for Oakhurst Dairy, which is holding his job for him until he returns.