More than 200 members of the American Samoa Army Reserve begin tonight leaving for Hawaii on a 24-month deployment.
They will train in Hawaii then head to Texas for additional training before they depart for Iraq.
A crowd of more than 1,000 packed the new army reserve center for the farewell service yesterday.
The Commanding officer of the Pacific Army Reserve Brigadier General John Ma thanked people for their support.
"Deployment and separations are never easy. However, knowing that there is that great support from their family, their community, the officials here that's here will make it a little bit easier for them, for both the soldiers and their families."
Brigadier General John Ba
