It's 6 a.m. Tuesday, and the sun has yet to break through the black sky at the Oregon National Guard Armory in Albany.

Members of the Oregon National Guard's Bravo Company, 52nd Engineers begin to pile onto the buses.

Soldier Christopher Rutter grabs a window seat toward the back of the bus, slips on his headphones and begins to let the weight of the situation sink in.

He peruses the youthful faces of other soldiers sitting around him and realizes how important his being there really is. At 30 years of age, he's used to the uncertain life of a soldier during a time of war. In the last 11 years, he has served stints in both Bosnia and Somalia.

But now, with a new wife and family, things are a little different.

Every so often, Rutter's meditation is disrupted when a conversation with other members starts up.

Like most of the men and women in the unit, Rutter, a Scio High School graduate, can't resist the urge to take one last look at his family before the bus leaves on the hour-long drive to Portland for a flight to Colorado.

Deanna, the woman he married just one week ago, holds onto her young children as she fights back tears.

"It's been so emotional," she says, without looking away from her husband. "I just want him to come back home."

Rutter's mother, Jeanne, clutches granddaughter Summer's hand, while Grandpa Paul looks on from behind.

Summer knows her daddy is leaving, she says. But right now, she's trying to stay warm in the cold weather.

Then the bus pulls out into the foggy darkness, leaving behind hundreds of proud yet melancholy families.

"He told me to accept the collect calls," Deanna says.

For the 134 members of the Albany unit, this morning's departure was a difficult one. Life, as they had become accustomed to, is over for now. The unit will spend the next two weeks at Fort Carson in Colorado, and after that, it is not known what their mission will be. The company has been assigned up to a year of active duty.

"It's scary to go into a war area, and for a lot of these kids it's their first time to experience this," Jeanne Rutter said. "When Chris was single, he didn't mind going into these situations. But the whole picture changes with a wife and family now."

Although most soldiers shared a breakfast, pictures and hugs with family, many stood alone before boarding the three buses.

Guardsman Brian Kirchner of Bend talked about what life will be like for the next year without his 3-year old daughter, Brittny.

"It's hard. She's been talking quite a bit lately so I'm going to miss a lot of her growth over this time I'm away," he said. "But I'm trying to stay focused, even though it's stressful."

Specialist Rick Harvey of Milton-Freewater said his wish was for soldiers to receive letters or e-mail from people back in the states.

"It really helps the young soldiers and all of us to hear from people and get mail," he said. "There's so many soldiers in here with no families, and to get something would mean a lot."

At least one mid-valley group, American Legion Post 10, has "adopted" the 52nd Engineers.

"We'll be a support group along with the Red Cross," past post commander Dallas McLaren said Monday. "We'll help any way we can. Some of the Guard families will be going through tough times."

Another Guardsman, Jeff Hoffman of Vancouver, Wash., said his wife, Mia, and children stayed at an Albany hotel this morning instead of attending the departure.

"It's been really hard on us. My wife broke down and cried at dinner last night," he said. "I just keep telling her I'll be back.

"As for the kids, they don't seem to understand what's really going on. I just tell them I have to go away for work."