CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah (ABC4) – On Sunday, March 3rd, hundreds of Utah’s National Guard are leaving for a major military deployment in Africa. Utah hasn’t mobilized a group of soldiers this large in two decades.

They showed ABC4 News how they’ve been preparing to go and what they’re leaving behind, in this edition of Behind the Badge.  

Around 300 soldiers from Utah’s 204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade are set to deploy Sunday to the Horn of Africa. With a company so big, there’s a big difference in the amount of jobs they’ll perform. They’ll do everything from helping the surrounding nations establish security and stability to building embassy relationships.

Master Sgt. Michael Broadhead is in charge of getting them all ready. He told ABC4 he had personally never been involved in a movement this large.

“It’s a pretty big undertaking, trying to prepare and plan for the training for this many soldiers,” said Broadhead. “It’s been a tremendous ordeal.”

Over the last nine months, soldiers with Utah National Guard have practiced their sharp shooting, ground combat moves and body movements for fending off potential attackers. They’ve also been attending seminars on handling family stress at home and even filling out their wills should the worst happen while abroad.

Sgt. Michael Melendez told ABC4 that was one of the weirdest parts about getting ready for deployment.

“I’m like 30 years old,” said Melendez. “[I] never thought I’d be filling out a will at 30 years old.”

For many of these soldiers, it’s their first deployment, for some of those that have done it, it’s their first deployment with their spouse. So many of their families haven’t gone through this before.

The 204th Manuever Enhancement Brigade expects to be overseas for about a year. While soldiers like Maj. Mark Hruza are ready to get going, they will be leaving a lot behind. Hruza, for example, is a new father. His wife just gave birth two months ago and he said it’s tough knowing how many baby firsts he will be missing.

“We’re planning on doing a lot of FaceTime,” said Hruza. “So, hopefully, I don’t miss a lot of those firsts and we can talk a lot.”

“It’s going to be incredibly hard,” said Hruza’s wife, Crystal. “I’ll try to send him little videos of this guy as he grows because I know it’s hard for Mark to be missing this guy.”

Spc. Wriley Renouard of the 204th told ABC4 he was stoked for the deployment but his newlywed wife, with whom he just celebrated their first anniversary, may not be as excited. He told ABC4 she isn’t as stoked for him to go but she is being supportive, something Master Sgt. Broadhead’s wife can empathize with.

“She’s excited for me,” said Broadhead. “She’s not excited for her.”

“It’ll be a good opportunity to find myself, and help these ladies find strength within themselves as well,” said Michelle Broadhead.

Michelle Broadhead copes with her husband’s deployments by running a Family Soldier Readiness Group. Other families at home can use the group for support and to get information while the soldiers are away.

“I want to be able to be the person, even though I’m in that really tough place too, you can come to me and we can support each other and we can lift each other up,” said Michelle Broadhead.

The soldiers know their families sacrifice just as much.

“Our families do have the hardest job, they’re back here, they’re dealing with everything, but if we can prepare now and prepare them mentally it makes this deployment a lot easier,” said Sgt. Michael Melendez.

As tough as it is to leave, their commitment to the country outweighs any fear or hardship. So, whatever the target or how long the trek, the Utah National Guard is willing to make an about-face on life at home, to serve America abroad.

“I know what I signed up for. I signed a blank check stating I would give my life to protect and defend this country, to make sure all of our freedoms are intact,” said Melendez.  

“It is a personal calling, and so when we’re called to go and serve our nation, I’m very excited to do that,” said Maj. Mark Hruza.

ABC4 News will keep tabs with them on when they leave and they say their emotional goodbyes.