WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | American Red Cross honors local servicemen & women
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"We all pray that we have the holiday, and I hope that's the case, you know everyday is a gift," says Lt. Col. Scott Smith, with the 1st Battalion, 116th Regiment.The American Red Cross threw a red, white and blue celebration Wednesday afternoon to honor local serviceman and women who could be headed off to Iraq soon.
In addition to offering financial support to military families, the non-profit also makes sure families can get messages to their soldiers in an emergency situation.
That service may be used even more come this January if the First Battalion of the 116th Regiment based in Lynchburg is deployed.
"We all pray that we have the holiday, and I hope that's the case, you know everyday is a gift," said Lt. Col. Scott Smith, with the 1st Battalion, 116th Regiment.
The battalion consists of about five to six hundred national guard members. If they're called, it's not clear how many will be mobilized. Many of the soldiers, however, have returned from overseas as recently as last summer.
