Wearing his fathers cap, Clayton Wells, 11, gives his dad, field artillery Sgt. 1st Class Scott Wells, a last emotional hug as the Vermont National Guard begins departures for final theatre-specific training prior to deploying to Afghanistan. (Vermont Daily News/Alden Pellett)

Essex, Vt. – January 6, 2010 – The Vermont National Guard 101st Field Artillery B Battery departed today for Camp Atterbury, Indiana, for theater-specific training prior to deployment in Afghanistan.  About 100 members of the Guard departed today after a ceremony at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex, Vt.  Another group departs Friday when Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Michael Mullen plans to attend the ceremony. 

Sergeant First Class Scott Wells, a large imposing man who is part of the field artillery unit in Waterbury, said a poigniant and tearful goodye to his sons, Clayton, 11, and Jacob, 9, and then joined his fellow soldiers as the ceremony began.

Wells joins approximately 700 Guard members who will be returning to Camp Atterbury to undergo final training and then to Fort Polk, La., to begin the final deployment process to Afghanistan in approximately two months for what will be the largest deployment of Vermonters since World War II.

-Vermont Daily New staff report

Grace Quiet, 5, watches as her father, Capt. Justin Quiet, who is Commander of Field Artillery B Battery, prepare his gear as the Vermont National Guard begins the last departures this week for final theatre-specific training prior to deploying to Afghanistan. (Vermont Daily News/Alden Pellett)