For 3,000 Louisiana soldiers, this Independence Day will be likeno other.
From July 1 to July 8, the 256th Infantry Brigade, based inLafayette, will be on special leave to spend time with family andawait their deployment to Iraq.
And to ensure all troops have means to get home, GovernorKathleen Blanco and Major General Bennett C. Landreneau launched aprogram to raise $200,000 to bus each soldier home free ofcharge.
The soldiers are currently training at Fort Hood in Texas.
Glen Kirby, state coordinator of the Family Programs Office ofLouisiana National Guard, is overseeing the program.
Kirby said troops getting ready to deploy are typically granteda few extra days to spend with their families, but were grantedlonger than normal because of the holiday.
Kirby also said the program is helpful because some soldiersotherwise would not be able to afford to come home.
Ned Guilbeau works at the Family Readiness Group in Lafayette –an organization dedicated to assisting families of soldiers — andalso has a son in the 256th Infantry.
Guilbeau said he is happy his son Charles and the others willhave the opportunity to come home.
“It’s going to help their morale, and when you help theirmorale, it’s going to help training,” Guilbeau said.
Guilbeau also said it will be safer for the soldiers to ridebuses home, instead of all driving cars on the highway.
At press time, the Governor’s office Web site said they haveraised $92,000 in pledges and $75,000 in actual donations.
But Kirby said even if the $200,000 is not raised by July 1, thesoldiers will still come home.
“The troops will come home one way or another,” Kirby said.”There is probably someone waiting in the wings in case.”
Kirby also said he spoke with the 256th Infantry commander, andhe said the troops were overwhelmed and appreciative of the supportfrom Louisianians.
For more information or to donate, visit www.gov.la.gov