Freehold National Guard members to be called up
Area resident seeking items to support troops being sent overseas

BY DICK METZGAR

Staff Writer

Members of the New Jersey National Guard who live in the Freehold area are expected to be sent in the near future to various trouble spots of the world in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the ongoing war against global terrorism.

More than 300 members of 1st Battalion 114th Infantry, which includes Company B 1-114th, headquartered at the National Guard Armory, Route 33, Freehold Borough, will be called up, according to a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

The infantry battalion also includes Headquarters and Headquarters Company, headquartered in Woodbury, Company A 1-114th, headquartered in Mount Holly, and Company C 1-114th, headquartered in Burlington.

"More than 300 people from the battalion have been notified that they will be called to extended active duty service to support the ongoing war against global terrorism," the spokeswoman said. "They will come from the communities of Freehold, Woodbury, Mount Holly and Burlington. There will be approximately the same number called from each of these towns."

The guardsmen are expected to be deployed to the Arabian Peninsula, which includes Iraq, where United States and coalition forces are now engaged in heavy fighting with insurgents, the spokeswoman said.

Sometime in May the soldiers will learn when they will leave.

At least one person, Mary Ellen Berryman, Freehold Borough, wants to make sure the troops departing from the Freehold area will have some of the basic comforts of life while they are away from home and engaged in their dangerous task.

Berryman is a loan officer at Kastle Mortgage, West Main Street, Freehold.

"Many of my clients are veterans," Berryman said. "Many of the soldiers who will be leaving are clients of mine. I know them personally."

She said the soldiers are much more than just clients to her.

"I had a number of the guys from Company B to my house for lunch," she said. "That’s when they made up a list of the items they would most need. I’m col­lecting these items for them because they have a special place in my heart."

The following items are needed: sham­poo, shaving cream, dental floss, tooth­paste, toothbrushes, Tums, sunscreen lo­tion, handy wipes, lip balm, razor blades, mouthwash, soap (Ivory), travel size toi­lettes, batteries (AA, AAA, D), bug spray, Sternos (for heat), international phone cards, DVDs, cigarettes, pens, flip pads, instant coffee, sugar packs, powdered milk, hot chocolate, ice tea mix, dry mix drinks (Kool Aid) and hard candy.

"In light of our servicemen and ser­vicewomen going overseas, many of their basic needs are left behind," Berryman said.

Items may be dropped off at Kastle Mortgage, 77 W. Main St., Freehold, to Berryman’s attention. The phone number is (732) 845-5444.

The deployment of the local troops is expected to last up to 18 months and is part of the second round of rotations of guard and reserve units called up in sup­port of operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.