Elbert Washington was a young man serving his country in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971.

Washington, the latest in a long line of military men in his family, didn’t see much fighting during his time in that country. But the fighting eventually found him.

The base where he and his fellow soldiers were stationed came under attack, and one of his best buddies was fatally wounded by shrapnel.

&uot;I was there when his last breath left,&uot; Elbert Washington said, shaking his head with a frown before taking another puff of his cigarette.

&uot;(The soldier) told you, ‘When you get back, have enough fun for me,’&uot; his wife of 27 years, Myrna Washington, reminded him. &uot;And that’s what we’ve always tried to do, ever since then.&uot;

Indeed, that’s the philosophy the Washingtons seemed have followed in their lives and work &045;&045; focus on the things you can change, don’t worry about what you can’t, and have plenty of fun along the way.

And that’s the attitude with which they’ve approached Elbert Washington’s impending deployment with the 155th Separate Armored Brigade of the National Guard. He and more than 50 others make up the 155th’s Natchez unit.

The brigade will mobilize at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg next month and, from there, will be transferred to Fort Irwin in California for 90 days of training.

They will then ship out to the Central Command Theatre of Operations &045;&045; which includes Iraq, although the soldiers don’t yet know in which part of the theatre they will be stationed.

Myrna Washington admitted that the first thing she thought when the 155th got its notice of active duty in May was &uot;not again.&uot;

After all, her husband served in Bosnia for six months &045;&045; &uot;I hope America never sees anything like it was over there,&uot; Elbert Washington offered &045;&045; and was activated, although he wasn’t shipped overseas, for the Gulf War.

And during a recent briefing for soldiers and their families, &uot;when they said … be ready to be over there for 24 months, I said, ‘Oh, Lord,’&uot; Myrna Washington said.

&uot;That’s doesn’t mean they’ll be over there that long &045;&045; just that we should be prepared just in case.&uot;

For his part, Elbert Washington said he’s not worried that his wife will have trouble getting along while he’s away from home.

&uot;The bills &045;&045; she handles all of that anyway,&uot; he said. &uot;She can do anything.&uot;

She even plans to attend computer classes at Copiah-Lincoln Community College to further her job skills while her husband’s away.

But both husband and wife are philosophical when it comes to his deployment and the Iraq operations in general.

&uot;This (deployment) is where it hits home,&uot; Myrna Washington said. &uot;I can’t say I’m used to it, but it’s part of our lives. The best you can do is to say your prayers and go forward.&uot;

In a painting on a nearby wall, Jesus is depicted, shepherd’s staff in hand, watching carefully over his sheep.

Myrna Washington believes in God’s protection &045;&045; and she believes the Iraq operation is something the United States had to do.

&uot;We don’t want another 9/11 over here, I’ll say that,&uot; she said. &uot;We have a nuclear power just across the river; what if (terrorists) would hit that?

&uot;I’ve heard people say, ‘It ain’t my war.’ Oh, yes, it is. It’s all our war.&uot;

Based on their experiences, both Elbert and Myrna Washington have advice for those who are being deployed for the first time &045;&045; and those who they leave behind.

&uot;When you go over there, leave (home) behind. Not that you don’t call or write … or think about home, but you have a job to do,&uot; he said.

&uot;And when you leave from over there, leave it there and don’t bring it home.&uot;

Myrna Washington said her best advice is for Guard spouses, especially those facing their spouses’ deployment for the first time, to be active in the unit’s Family Support Group.

&uot;Visit the support group meetings. Keep in touch with the other (members) and reach out to them,&uot; she said. &uot;We’re one big family, and we’re here to help each other.

&uot;Don’t just sit back and watch TV. And you’ll get all kinds of phone calls, but don’t let that get you all rattled. If the military has anything you need to know, they’ll come to you directly.&uot;

And she advises military couples not to worry about the state of their marriage while they’re apart.

&uot;If you’re not committed to your marriage, something could happen just as easy if they’re over here,&uot; she said.

And one more thing, she said &045;&045; always remember to keep your sense of humor.

Elbert and Myrna Washington have such an easy way with each other &045;&045; laughing and talking and something just enjoying the silence together &045;&045; that it’s easy to believe they can hang on to that philosophy.

For one thing, he said, &uot;war changes your perception of things.&uot;

Even since that day in Vietnam, he said, &uot;I’ve made up my mind that I plan to enjoy every day to the fullest.&uot;