Led By Windsor Man, Firefighting Guard Unit Head to Afghanistan

Moments from departing the Army Air Support Facility in Windsor Locks for his second tour of duty, Staff Sgt. Daniel Nolan of Windsor stood in the Army hangar full of family members and covered with American flags describing the next year of his life in Afghanistan as "an opportunity to do what we were trained to do using the greatest resources in the world."

Having completed his first tour of duty in combat in Iraq, the commander of the 246th Engineer Detachment is in for a new experience. It's one that he and his men are prepared for, but "it's bittersweet," he added, saying that "the hard part is leaving the family."

Parents, spouses, siblings and children of the seven members of the detachment crowded around their soldier as the group's departure time approached Monday morning.

As they laughed and played with their children, the departure may have been especially hard for Sergeant Nicholas Holliday and Specialist Justin Harelik who left on their first tours of duty Monday.

"The hardest part is going to be missing the family," said Holliday, a Griswold native and father of two elementary-age sons.

But while missing his family is something he cannot avoid, its not something he lets distract him from his responsibility.

"This is what we do," he said. "We're firefighters."

The preparation leading up to departure has allowed Spc. Harelik, of Stratford, and his family to be ready for Monday morning.

Supported by his wife, 6-year-old daughter and brother-in-law Monday, Harelik said that he and his family has known about their tour of duty for eight months, and that the service provides family support groups to help them leading up to their departure.

"We know what to expect," he said.

Before landing in Afghanistan the detachment will receive additional training in Fort Bliss. Once overseas, the group will provide assistance in fire prevention, fire protection, HAZMAT response and aircraft crash and rescue services.

The 246th Engineer Detachment was organized on Sept. 1, 2003 in East Lyme and has since then participated in every Connecticut National Guard mission.