Hundreds of people came to send off the soldiers Company C, 724th Engineering Battlion. Dignitaries joined families in saying goodbye to soldiers like Private First Class Matthew Berth.
"To see all these people in the community coming out and bidding us farewell, giving us their thanks," Berth said.
"It means a lot. It hits us right here," Berth said as he thumped his chest.
Even though none of the state and local leaders joining their family and friends know where they'll be deployed, speakers sent each of the 140 soldiers off from Rhinelander with a prayer to come home safe.
With these mobilizations, there are now about 2,250 soldiers on active duty from Wisconsin. That's nearly a quarter of all the soldiers and airmen in the National Guard.
