This was the assurance left by the Reservists to their teary-eyed family members and friends at the Saipan airport yesterday afternoon before they left Saipan on a Northwest Airlines plane.
Sgt. Julian Manglona said the sad part about the deployment is leaving his family behind.
“To be honest. I don’t want to leave my family, but I have to serve my country,” Manglona said.
He said from Saipan, they would be flying to the U.S. for training.
“I have no idea yet of the exact location of our destination in the U.S. but I believe we will undergo a couple of months training before we are deployed to the Middle East,” he added.
“My message to my family and to all the families of the Reservists who are leaving is to be strong, support the troops and wait for us because all of us will be back. We are leaving to serve our country,” Manglona said.
He said over 70 CNMI Reservists will be deployed but they are not leaving at the same time.
“Some of us will be leaving later,” Manglona said.
SSgt. Francisco Ada couldn’t stop his wife, two children and mother from shedding tears and holding on to him as he said his goodbyes prior to boarding his plane.
“Although this is my second tour, I can’t help but feel sad for my family who will be left behind, but I will be back,” Ada said. “I know it’s hard for all the families, but we are doing this for our country.”
Ada’s mother Lisa Sablan said she was sad to see her son leaving again.
“I don’t have much to say — I’m sad but my message to my son and all his other companions is to come back to us,” Sablan said.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Clyde K. Norita earlier instructed his division commanders and supervisors to extend their cooperation and assistance to all Reservists who received deployment orders to the Middle East.
He also assured the Reservists that their jobs, ranks, salaries and assignments will be waiting for them when they return to the CNMI.
