For some 44 soldiers in Selma’s National Guard 122nd Corps Support Group, this is the last weekend they will be able to spend with their families for a year or more. On Monday morning, the group will be headed to a Georgia military base to begin training for deployment to Iraq.

Officials with both Selma City and Dallas County have teamed up to ensure these men and women will not be leaving without a huge send-off.

Beginning at 8:45 a.m. Monday, there will be a public ceremony at the Selma National Guard Armory on Highway 80 West.

Lt. Col. John Crestwell, the Group administrative officer, said the event would begin with troops lining up in formation.

“Our commanders will speak, Judge (Johnny) Jones will speak and Mayor (James) Perkins will speak,” Crestwell said. “It will probably take about a half hour for the ceremony.”

After the short ceremony,

troops will have a few moments of private time to spend with their families before loading onto a bus.

At 10 a.m., the bus carrying the soldiers will travel on Highway 80 West along Highland Avenue and turn onto Broad Street.

Escorted by deputy sheriff and police cars, the bus will proceed on Broad Street through downtown and over the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Elizabeth Driggers, director of the city’s Community Development office, is asking businesses and local citizens to show their

support for the troops.

“We want people out there waving flags, holding up signs and cheering,” she said.

Probate Judge Johnny Jones has been working with the city in organizing the big event since the mobilization was first announced last week.

“There has been terrific participation from those who helped out, including Mayor Perkins, (Valley Grande City Clerk) Virginia Webb, and the mayor of Orrville,” Jones said.

Perkins said he would like to see as many people as possible lining Selma’s streets Monday “waving the red, white and blue.”

“I want to encourage family, friends, and citizens to come out and express their appreciation for the men and women who are called to active duty,” Perkins said.

Valley Grande Mayor-elect Tom Lee said he remembered how emotional it was for his family when he left for Vietnam.

“I want to encourage families who are going to be left behind to identify a local church, if they haven’t already, because this is going to be a strong time of prayer,” Lee said. “Any families of guardsman can call the Valley Grande City Hall and we will do everything we can to help them.”

Crestwell said there are currently around 125 troops in the 122nd Corps Support Group. One-third of these troops will be mobilized to Georgia on Monday, while the other half will join them in early to mid November.

Once in Iraq, the unit would be responsible for the safety of truck convoys along supply routes and provide base camp “life support” such as food, showers, and other basic essentials.