For the third time since America went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, crowds in Centralia waved flags and said farewell this morning to troops from Centralia’s National Guard Armory as they left town for overseas service.

The roughly 102 members of the 204th Engineers Mobile Augmentation Company gathered on Seminary Hill before dawn, some kissing wives and girlfriends goodbye in the red glow of tail lights.

The troops will fly out this afternoon for further training at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin before leaving for Afghanistan, probably shortly after the new year.

Their 400-day deployment will see them on "route clearance" duty, removing the roadside bombs known as improvised explosive devices.

"It’s very dangerous," said the unit’s commander, Capt. Jack Claros, but with strong leadership, training and high-tech assistance including robots to help, he said, "we’ll be OK."

Formerly located at Fort Lewis and known as Bravo Company, the unit deployed hurriedly at the start of the Iraq War. They did a little of everything there, Claros said, from training Iraqi troops and disposing of weapons caches to helping with elections. A few troops were wounded, but the company didn’t lose anyone.

The company was relocated to Centralia from Fort Lewis about four years ago. Centralia’s other National Guard company, the G Company of the 181st Support Battalion, just returned from its second tour in Iraq.

Waiting to Ship Out

Among the soldiers leaning their heads against olive drab duffle bags waiting to board the bus this morning were Spc. Ron German, 29, a heavy equipment operator from Bonney Lake, and Sgt. Joseph Rogers, 30, a Frito-Lay route sales worker from Oak Harbor.

The two buddies went to Iraq together when the 204th was known as Bravo company. Waiting and saying goodbye are the hardest parts, they said.

"The train-up phase is necessary, but I wish we could just go get it over with," Rogers said. "Once we get going I think the year will get over fast."

After roll-call and hot breakfast, Rogers was waiting for his family to come by the hilltop Armory to say goodbye.

"Mine’s down on the street holding a sign," German said.

From Flood Duty to Combat

The 204th’s departure comes just as flood season approaches Lewis County. Claros, 29, who works in Portland as an architect when not on deployment, said his National Guard company was on duty during the Twin Cities’ most recent floods, but he is confident the unit’s departure won’t cause problems.

"There will be other units that will be tasked to take care of them if flood season comes back," he said. "We have another mission."

Brian Mittge: (360) 807-8234

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.