W-b's Junk: It's Going, Gone 
The City Garners $120,000, More Than Expected, Auctioning Old Vehicles And
Other Equipment.

Area Colleges

By BONNIE ADAMS badams@leader.net
 Saturday, January 08, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE - Soldiers with the 109th Field Artillery Bravo Battery in
Iraq could return to the United States this month. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maj. Kevin Miller of the 109th said Friday that the schedule is tentative,
but is consistent with what the unit had originally planned. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He said the Jan. 30 elections in Iraq should not affect the National
Guardsmen's homecoming. "It has nothing to do with the political situation,"
he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Miller said the soldiers replacing Bravo Battery are in place and the
battery is preparing its equipment to redeploy to the United States. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said the 109th's Alpha Battery is tentatively expected to return home in
early February. Those 109th soldiers attached to the 103rd Armor are due to
leave in late February. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Miller said the redeploying soldiers will spend the first five to seven
days at Fort Dix, N.J., where their deployment began. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie,
Headquarters and Service battery had spent time training at Fort Dix last year
before deploying to the Middle East in February. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jane Harris' husband, Spc. Bill Harris, has been in Iraq with Bravo Battery
since October as a replacement. She said that even though her husband has not
been gone as long as the other men, the separation is difficult. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bravo Battery served the past year in Iraq, while Alpha Battery was sent to
Kuwait and Qatar. The unit has suffered some injuries and one casualty. Sgt.
Sherwood Baker of Plymouth was killed in Baghdad in April while assigned to
the 103rd Armor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I want all the guys to come home safely. They need to be home with their
families," said Harris of Ashley. She and her husband have three foster
children, one of whom he hasn't yet met. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He sent his wife 11 roses and has promised to give her the 12th rose in
person. "I'm just full of excitement," she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bonnie Adams, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7241. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 HELP US WITH A KEEPSAKE EDITION &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We've been sending news from the home front to overseas soldiers since
April 2004. Now that 109th Field Artillery soldiers are coming home, we'd like
to put together a special "Your Hometown Leader" edition. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We're asking our readers, soldiers and their families to provide items
they'd like us to include. Send us photos, letters, essays, children's artwork
- whatever you'd like to see in a keepsake. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Send it by Feb. 15 to Jean LaCoe, Times Leader, 15 N. Main St.,
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. You can also reach Jean at 829-7155 or
jlacoe@leader.net. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

109th Expected Home In Few Weeks Tentatively, Bravo Battery Returns This Month And Alpha Returns Early Next.