Troops, communities prepare for active duty

24 Comfrey,

Darfur men

going to Europe

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

COMFREY -- Several hundred people attended an ecumenical prayer service Wednesday at St. Paul's Catholic Church for Comfrey and Darfur service members currently on active duty or soon to be recalled to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Patriotic songs and readings and prayers dominated the service for the troops.

Sgt. First Class John Serna and Staff Sgt. Steve Berberich, members of the 125th Field Artillery Battalion headquartered in New Ulm, were the senior military personnel at the service.

"I knew we'd go on active duty sooner or later," Berberich said. "One of the nice things about living in a small town is all the help people offered to my family while I'm gone. I enjoy the National Guard because I'm serving with lots of friends."

With 21 years of service, he's a section chief of the Howitzer cannon, in charge of nine men and all weapon safety checks.

Berberich works for the City of Comfrey water and wastewater treatment plants.

In previous calls to active duty, Berberich served 15 days during the Hormel Foods strike in Austin nearly 20 years ago, and he hauled supplies to flood ravaged Grand Forks, N.D. in 1997.

Those participating in the service realize the increasing danger of a world in which terrorism is an ever-present threat.

Comments by Comfrey American Legion Sergeant at Arms Mark Brummund addressed that fact.

"Men and women are stationed worldwide defending against another Sept. 11," Brummund said. "They need the unfailing support of families and friends to send care packages and cards to keep them going to defend our way of life. Let it never be said that we are an ungrateful nation."

Brummund said with emotion that it's been said that service members have no feelings but his feelings could fill a river.

"Remember the wife that waits at home for her husband and the little girl that holds a picture of her daddy," Brummund said. "Trust in God and you can survive anything."

For Serna, military service is a family affair. His two sons, Grant, 29, and J. Ryan, 26, serve with the National Guard in Sioux Falls and Watertown, S.D. respectively.

Serna served as a fire control technician on a submarine for six years in the Navy before serving four years in the Navy Reserve. He's a battalion personnel sergeant in the National Guard with nearly 28 years of service.

Semi-retired, Serna works seasonally for Norwood Promotional Products in Sleepy Eye.

As part of the ecumenical service, the names of Comfrey and Darfur soldiers were read. In addition to Berberich and the Sernas, the roster included David Schotzko, Kyle Marks, Scott Olson, Lee Schmitt, Tom Prokosch Jr., Dave Kamoltz, Aaron Sonnabend, Jeremy Schmitt, Greg Lingbeek, Matt Helget, Josh Hillesheim, Michael Schumann, Michael Von Rueden, Wayne Sulflow, Steve Warner, Nick Hillesheim, Adam Hartle, Justin Augustin, Victor Thatcher, Justin Windschitl and Paul Fredin.

Comments delivered by Sister Sharon Nohner identified the pending departure of the troops and the impact of their absence in the community.

"Pray for those putting their lives on the line for us," she said. "Their place will be open at the dinner table. ... Some of them will be missing college," she said. "Peace comes at a price. The war really isn't over as we hear about soldiers dying in Iraq. The only real place of living safety is in the loving arms of our God."