About 400 friends and family members gathered at the 6th Motor Transport Battallion reserve center in Lincroft yesterday to say goodbye to 137 Marine reservists headed to Iraq.
Some of the Marines were embarking on their third tour.
Brian Donohue of the Star-Ledger’s Ledger Live was there with his video camera and caught these poignant moments.
The Marines will first do two months of training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina before heading to the war in August.
The Asbury Park Press also has coverage today.
From that story:
This is the seventh group of Marine reservists to be deployed to the war zone from the 6th Motor Battalion since 2003.
“A lot of guys who’ve been over before, you learn from them and you listen to them,” said Lance Cpl. John Roth, 21, of Lacey, who’s on his first deployment. “Ceremonies like this are nice. It’s less stressful. This is the hardest part, to say goodbye.”
