(WHTM) — Over 150 soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be deployed to Germany for one year.

“We’re going over there to help with the U.S. Army partners and allies that supports our national interest,” Commander Of The 56th SBCT Christopher Costello said. “And we’re going over there to facilitate some of the training of the Ukrainian army.”

The type of training includes, “Basic combat skills, individual movement techniques, troop leading procedures, and just some of that at the platoon and company level,” Costello said.

This is Sergeant 1st Class Christopher Hensley’s second deployment, but his first deployment away from his two-year-old daughter Cora.

“It’s very hard to describe, in all honesty It’s very emotional,” Christopher said.

But his wife – Kaitlyn Hensley says they are already. “Counting the days down for dad to come home,” Kaitlyn said. “It is hard as a wife because you never want to say goodbye, but it’s only for a little while. It’s kind of like, okay, see you later.”

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For 1st Lt. Sam Mancuso – this is his first deployment. “I’m really excited, feeling kind of like childhood dream,” he said.

Mancuso is from Lancaster County – he is the youngest of seven, and the fifth of his siblings to serve our country. “We’re kind of a military family we understand what it’s like the process,” he said.

Even though their loved ones are overseas – the military is there to help the family if needed.

“We’ve had issues where people have had like a water heater blow up and we’ve been able to get out there and help them with that,” Costello said. “So as much as the soldier’s going away, there’s always going to be a support here that we can help them.”

These soldiers will head over to Germany sometime over the next few days.

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