SOUTHINGTON - With area troops preparing to head off for training soon, members of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary presented them with travel packages Wednesday at the armory.

The Auxiliary raised enough money to buy items to provide all of the nearly 90 troops leaving from the Southington Armory with a package in a reusable camouflage bag.

"We hope you can make use of them and hope you know that the whole community in Southington will be thinking of you and praying for your safe return," Auxiliary President Rachel Wache said as the troops stood in formation. "We plan on supporting this group the entire time you are away."

Meriden native Staff Sgt. Todd Anderson glanced excitedly at the table where the packs were sitting as he stood with 1st Sgt. Mark Dentzau of Hampden, Mass.

"I think it's outstanding for an organization to step up to help out our unit," Dentzau said. "It inspires our troops because it means the community is supporting them. Getting a care package from anyone really raises morale."

The troops at the Southington Armory were officially deployed during a Sunday ceremony in Hartford. The group is preparing to leave for training in Indiana and will eventually go to Afghanistan.

Dentzau said leaving for deployment can be really tough on the troops because it means leaving their families.

Anderson said he first enlisted when he was 17 years old. He is now 32 and in the middle of his third six-year enlistment. Though he was stationed in Germany twice, Sunday was his first official deployment. Anderson said the hardest part was leaving his wife, Marcie, and 6-month-old son, Connor.

"There is a lot of support from family, friends and even at work," Anderson said. "They will help out the families while we are gone."

The American Legion also donated three computers with Web cams from the Computer Sciences Corporation so the troops will be able to contact friends and family while they are away, which Anderson was also excited about.

"We'll be able to see them, which will be great for me," Anderson said of seeing his son from across the globe.

After being dismissed from formation, the troops walked single file in front of the Auxiliary members to receive the care packs. The Auxiliary women would shake hands, give hugs or even give a quick kiss on the cheek to the soldiers as they walked by.

Once the packs were handed out it was time to break for lunch. Before grabbing something to eat, many troops eagerly opened the packs to look through the contents, showing off to each other they thought would be particularly useful.

"This is going to be an ongoing thing," said Margherita Currao, Auxiliary member and founder of the Mothers of Military Service parent support group. "These packs are basically for initial travelling purposes."

The packs contained travel sized toiletries such as shaving cream, deodorant, mouthwash toothpaste as well as snacks, candy and a small pocket flag to remind the troops of the people back home.

"They are the necessities, but things you sometimes forget to take along," Anderson said of the packs. "The bags look awesome."

Some of the Auxiliary women got a little emotional as they watched the soldiers rummage through the small packs. Wache said she hopes that every one of them makes it back from Afghanistan safely.

Marita Policki said doing things like making the packs or folding the small flags help the parents stay sane and at the same time help someone else's child who is in the same situation.

rrathsack@record-journal.com

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