ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 8, 1997 TAG: 9701080036
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: A Cuppa Joe
SOURCE: JOE KENNEDY
When Dwight Terry gets to Germany next week, his military cook's pay will exceed what he makes delivering Sheetrock for Lowe's in Roanoke.
The money will enable him to better support his year-old twin girls, Becky and Audrey, he said. But Terry, 20 and from Penhook, doesn't want to leave them.
He is one of the 100 U.S. Army reservists from Southwest Virginia called up to provide administrative and other support for military members going to and from Operation Joint Endeavor, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Bosnia.
Members of the 2174th Garrison Support Unit in Salem and other groups have been training daily since Dec. 27.
They will leave Saturday - most for Germany, a few for Hungary and some, possibly, for brief stints in Bosnia.
`Not excited about it'
Last Saturday, they and their loved ones sat in the auditorium at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and heard about details they must complete for a smooth transition.
If ever a word begged for a euphemism, "separation" did. Over and over the speakers used it, and it never stopped sounding bleak.
Everyone knew this could happen. Army downsizing has made reserve units more vulnerable to callups. But few expected this one, and the short deadline made the holidays a blur.
The callup shocked Treena Shepherd of Christiansburg. Her husband, Jerry, 24, was to leave the reserves in February. With this mission, he'll be in longer. It will last at least 143 days, or as many as 270.
Some reservists were disappointed not to have been chosen. The others had mixed emotions.
"I am not looking forward to being away up to nine months from my family and my job," said Col. Ken Viemeister, the group commander. But it's a chance to lead his people for real. Many face active duty for the first time.
"I'm not excited about it," said Janice Fitts, whose husband, Steve, 51, is a warrant officer. "This is the longest he's ever been away from me."
A buyer for Goodyear in Danville, Steve worries about their two sons and his employee benefits. Under federal law, employers must hold reservists' jobs open until they return.
For many, pay is a concern.
"Some companies are very good on that," said Viemeister, a sales rep for Pfizer pharmaceuticals. "Other companies basically cut them off."
"I'm taking a financial hit," said Vanessa Payne, 28, a Roanoke County police officer with car, house and student loan payments.
Before the callup, the reservists could have bought mobilization insurance of up to $5,000 per month. But the offer was inadequately explained, some said, so they didn't sign up in time.
Higher-ups are looking into it.
`It tore me up'
Until December, Monty Collier was a graduate student in chemical engineering at Virginia Tech. Not any more. He had an emotional Christmas with his family and his girlfriend, Christina Wooluns.
"It tore me up," he said, "but I couldn't show it."
Sgt. Charles Price, 42, said he and his wife, Susan, run a "high-speed, low-drag" operation. They're ready, but Price, a Virginia Tech employee, is reluctant to leave Susan, son Luke, 2, and daughter Brittney, 5 months, back in Radford.
Jerry Shepherd, Treena's husband, doesn't like putting all of the family homebuilding business on his father, a full-time minister.
"I'm looking forward to going," he said, "so I can hurry back."
They'll say goodbye Saturday afternoon, leave for Fort Benning that night and arrive in Baberhausen by Jan.15.
Whatever their anxieties, they are eager to begin the job.
Godspeed to them.
What's your story? Call me at 981-3256 or send e-mail to kenn@roanoke.infi.net, or write to P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010.
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