Iraq-bound troops entertained at Shell
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
Na Leo performed on the Waikiki Shell stage, Diamond Head reflected green and gold in a setting sun, and children laughed and ran barefoot through the grass.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Under other circumstances, it would have been a perfect evening.
Alyssa Buccat, 1, looks over her father's meal before taking a bite. Guardsman Alfredo Buccat, of Kunia, and his wife, Bonnie, yesterday enjoyed a free dinner and enter-tainment at the Waikiki Shell.
But for the citizen soldiers of the Hawai'i National Guard's 29th Separate Infantry Brigade, it was a bittersweet moment.
More than 1,500 Guard and Reserve soldiers are back in Hawai'i for two weeks before heading to Fort Polk, La., in less than a week for combat certification and Iraq after that.
While some families took advantage of a night of entertainment and free food last night, thoughts of the all-too-soon time they'll be away were definitely competing with music and merriment.
"It's kind of happy in a way, but also kind of sad because you know you're here with the family, and it's time to enjoy, but you know you gotta leave for something we've gotta do," said Alfredo Buccat, 34, who had 1-year-old daughter Alyssa in one hand and a bento in the other.
Buccat, a medic with the 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery and registered nurse at The Queen's Medical Center, has been taking his kids to the park. Monday night he went on a dinner and movie "date" with his wife, Bonnie.
Just little things that many people take for granted, but which have taken on a new importance for soldiers of the 29th Brigade.
More than 2,000 Hawai'i Army National Guard soldiers and 700 reservists with the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, along with units from California, Oregon and Minnesota, are preparing for deployment to the Balad area north of Baghdad.
Word among some of the soldiers is that their year in Iraq might be moved up so they are there for elections scheduled for Jan. 30, and could be extended to 18 months.
Staff Sgt. Allen Tudela, 28, said he was happy to be with family — but it was hard to fully enjoy it. About a dozen relatives gathered together on several blankets for the night of entertainment sponsored by Stand Up For America, an organization founded by City Councilman Mike Gabbard.
The event, which featured Na Leo, Frank DeLima, Leon and Malia and was scheduled to include Jake Shimabukuro, drew more than 150 people.
Tudela's girlfriend, mom and dad, two brothers and a sister — the latter three from the Mainland — and other relatives were there to spend time with him before he leaves. The Makakilo man will fly out to Kuwait on Jan. 3 to prepare for the eventual arrival of soldiers for one last training stop before they convoy north.
"I actually can't wait to get this whole ... (deployment) started," said Tudela, who's with Headquarters Company of the 29th, and works full time for the Guard.
The year "clock" for their time in Iraq probably won't start until they officially take over for another unit, which could be in February or March.
His girlfriend, Andrea DuBrall, said it's nice to have him home after two months of training in Texas and New Mexico.
"But to say goodbye the second time is going to be really hard, because he'll be gone at least a year and a half," she said.
DuBrall also has two brothers who are going: one in the National Guard and another with the 100th, 442nd.
"We're very proud, but it's a bittersweet moment," she said. "It's their duty, and they are serving proudly. I'm very proud of them — their attitude is extremely brave, considering all the circumstances (in Iraq)."
Spc. Christopher Duenas, 34, of Company A, 29th Support Battalion, was with his wife, Raylyn, at last night's event, which was open to all Hawai'i service members.
"There's not enough time to do everything at home you want to do, but you try and spend as much time as possible with friends and family, stay happy, take some memories along with us," said Duenas, who works for Longs Drugs.
Duenas said he's not sure what's ahead in Iraq. "You hear a lot of stories," he said. Among those is what he has heard about mortar attacks. "We never experienced anything like that, ever. This is our first deployment," he said. "We've just got to stay together as a brigade and a family."
Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, head of the Hawai'i National Guard, told the soldiers, "I've seen your new digs" at Logistical Supply Area Anaconda in Balad. Lee just returned from a visit with about 200 soldiers with Charlie Company, 193rd Aviation Regiment in Balad.
Lee added the living conditions "are going to be a lot better" than for training in New Mexico and Texas.
Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo, 23-year-old daughter of councilman Gabbard, is heading to Iraq as an Army specialist who'll work in medical logistics. The state representative said, "I think a lot of the soldiers would agree we feel well trained and equipped."
Issues arose over a lack of winter clothing, training and live ammunition during training in the freezing deserts of Texas and New Mexico, but Tamayo said she has talked to counterparts on the Mainland who have less.
"We have our body armor, warm clothes," she said. "There's a reserve unit that just deployed to Mosul (in Iraq) and got two to three used (desert camouflage uniforms). ... They didn't get half the stuff we got."
Gabbard said Stand Up For America wanted to thank the service members and their families for their sacrifice. Entertainers agreed to perform for free, and about six hotels, the city and other organizations helped out.
"Everyone's been pitching in," he said. "It's just one of those things that started snowballing."
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
