For Marines, New Year is new challenge

While many of us drink champagne and sing Auld Lang Syne tomorrow night to celebrate the dawn of 2010, some U.S. troops will be saying goodbye to their families and making final preparations to deploy.

WBAY in Green Bay reports on 47 Marines based in northeast Wisconsin who will leave for the first leg of their deployment to Afghanistan on Tuesday. They will fly to California first for final training, and then spend their next year surrounded by Afghanistan's rugged terrain. Detachment Bulk Fuel Company Bravo is part of President Obama's 30,000 troop surge, and for several of the Marines, this isn't their first time in a war zone.

"In 2003, I did the initial invasion of Iraq," said Staff Sgt. Josh Aide.

"This will be my first tour in Afghanistan, my fourth tour overall," said Gunnery Sgt. Allan Kanzenbach.

This is my favorite quote from the WBAY article:

"Basically I tell [my five-year-old son] I have to take a trip and be gone for a little bit of time, that there's some bad guys far away and I have to go help some people out, live better lives, and hopefully eliminate the bad guy," Sgt. Pete Vargo said.

Think of all the political rhetoric, long speeches, and heated debate you've heard about the war in Afghanistan. Have you ever heard a politician or pundit sum up what we're fighting for in a more appropriate fashion?

Stay safe, Marines.