Family and Church Members Send Guardsman Off With Promise

Local Soldier gets special surprise before deployment

WQAD News 8

Jenna Morton

September 29, 2017

They got "IGY6" tattooed, a permanent symbol that they have his back.

DAVENPORT - Today the Iowa National Guard had a send-off for its largest, single unit deployment since 2010.

Send-off ceremonies were held at several locations, including Muscatine, Davenport, Waterloo, and Boone.

Around 400 soldiers of the 248th Aviation support Battalion will head to Fort Hood, Texas for additional training before assignment to overseas locations.

One of those soldiers is Michael Novitske, from Davenport.

His family will tell you the goodbyes never get easier.

"It`s our second but our first with kids so it`s going to be extra hard," said Michael's wife Kaylee.

The Iowa Army National Guard facility in Davenport was packed with people to say goodbye.

However, for Michael's family and friend's actions speak louder than words. Michael's family and his church family went out and got matching tattoos.
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