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Sam Penrod ReportingA Utah National Guard unit on active duty in Iraq is getting closer to coming home. The 222nd Field Artillery has just four months left of their 18 month deployment.
The deployment of the 222nd involves families all over Southern Utah. Last January when these soliders left, we met one soldier and his family. And now we check back in with them, to get a sense of how the families are doing here at home.
It was a cold and foggy morning in January of last year, as members of the 222nd left for an 18 month deployment
That's when we first met Marc Henrie. Today, Henrie and other soldiers from Southern Utah are on active duty in Iraq, where they face danger everyday.
Lt. Marc Henrie, Utah National Guard: "It's been known to be a bad area, but we have not had any incidents in this village, to be really concerned, although we do take proper precautions."
Henrie is from Panguitch, where yellow ribbons still line Main Street, although after a year, they are beginning to fade. American Flags are everywhere and window signs and marquees recognize the members of the Triple Deuce.
It's community support the families couldn't live without.
Allen Henrie, Soldier's Dad: "They are praying for our soldiers. They are helping out the families any way they can. It's been a neat thing to see how the citizens have been supportive of these young men."
And they say they can only take it a day at a time.
Jeannie Henrie, Soldier's Mom: "Just look at it as one day to the next, and cross your fingers and say a lot of prayers."
For Henrie's wife, it is phone calls from her husband twice a week that help her to get through it.
Hollie Henrie, Soldier' Wife: "I hear his voice so I know he is okay that day. I can make it through another day because I know he is safe."
Henrie's son Bryson is now 13 months old. He was just two weeks old when his dad was deployed.
Hollie Henrie, Soldier' Wife: "He's been my lifesaver, that's for sure. I couldn't have done it without him in this deployment being all alone. He's helped me out a lot."
And for every solider's family in the 222nd, there is a similar story of how they are getting through this. The good news is that the Triple Deuce is scheduled to be back in Utah by the end of June.
