Georgia National Guardsmen prepare to head home

PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – After more than a year away from family and friends, Soldiers from the Georgia National Guard’s Company C, 1st Battalion, 48th Brigade Combat Team, out of Fort Stewart, Ga., stationed at Forward Operating Base Lightning in Paktia pProvince, Afghanistan, packed up the last of their equipment at the FOB, Feb. 20.

They are finally heading home. With their mission accomplished—they kept FOB Lightning and each other safe and secure—they have little left to do but count the hours until they reunite with their loved ones.

“Our mission here is complete. We’re totally changed over,” said Sgt. Jerry A. Giglia, of Forsyth, Ga., a team leader with the unit.

The unit will leave FOB Lightning very soon, but it still has about a month left in Afghanistan, said Spc. Christopher M. Nicely, of Richmond Hill, Ga. The company still needs to turn in equipment and out-process.

The time can’t pass quickly enough for the Soldiers.

“The hardest part of this deployment’s been being home sick. I miss my wife and two beautiful kids more than anything…I can’t wait to be home with them,” said Nicely.

“It’s definitely been a long time coming and I’m really excited to get home,” added Giglia.

In addition to providing tower and front gate security for FOB Lightning, the Soldiers of Co. C also ran security operations on convoys. Nicely said that their convoys occurred with very few incidents, but one in particular sticks out in his mind.

Giglia said that the Soldiers in the unit encountered an improvised explosive device and several ambushes but dealt with those incidents skilfully due to their extensive training and tight-knit nature.

We handled them exactly as we’ve been trained with no adverse action,” said Giglia.

Nicely remembers one such ambush.

We got ambushed once on a convoy and that was pretty exciting for a lot of the new guys,” Nicely said. “For no combat experience, they handled themselves (incredibly well). There was never a lull. Everybody kept moving. We didn’t stay stagnant or freak out. Even when (rocket propelled grenades) were hitting the vehicles, people were still continuing to do their jobs. They weren’t hiding in the back.”

For some, the company’s success is a direct result of their ability work collectively regardless of their different levels of experience.

“As far as unit cohesion and working together as a team (is concerned), we definitely excelled in that aspect,” Giglia said.

Nicely praised the Soldiers in the unit who deployed previously.

He said that despite the large number of inexperienced Soldiers—this was the first deployment for 80 percent of the company—their mission went smoothly because the veterans did an excellent job transferring their knowledge and skills to the less-experienced Soldiers.

“The veterans passed on their knowledge to the best of their ability. For the (experience) gap being so big, we really were able to do a lot. Our new guys were pretty quick learners. They’ll make great future (noncommisioned officers),” he said.

Nicely added that the Soldiers of Co. C, deployment rookies and veterans alike, look back on their mission with a sense of pride and achievement.

“I think we accomplished everything we set out to do. Our FOB didn’t get attacked from the inside. We kept everybody out that shouldn’t be in here, and we kept the base secure. That was our primary job, and we did that without exception,” he said.

Nicely said the members of the unit achieved another badge of honor: they did not lose one Soldier on this deployment.

“Seeing guys make it home is a good feeling, especially for guys who’ve been on more than one tour. You never like to see one of your buddies go,” he said.