RCT-8 Deploys To Iraq

By Laura Vesco
Reporter
Published: January 6, 2009

For the second day this week, a group of marines and sailors packed their bags for a deployment to Iraq. Once in Al Anbar Province the 200 members of the Regimental Combat Team 8 will assist Iraq’s civil and military authorities.

Nine on Your Sides Laura Vesco explains how an eleven year difference between two brothers doesn’t keep them from being best friends and how it makes saying goodbye even harder.

Nicholas DeCicco says, “I’m proud to have him and I’m just going to miss him a lot. He is really funny.“ Ten year-old Nicholas dreads watching his best friend and older brother Lance Corporal Jonathan DeCicco head off to Iraq. “Sometimes we wish he didn’t join because we like having him around,“ says Nicholas.

Lance Corporal DeCicco agrees leaving his buddy is one of the hardest parts. “He is a good kid all around. He does well in school and I couldn’t ask better of him,“ says DeCicco.

As the bags are loaded one by one in true Marine Corps fashion and the DeCicco family takes those last minute pictures, it’s almost time to say goodbye.

“It’s hard especially leaving now. This is my first deployment but he knows what I’m doing and he knows I signed up for it,“ says DeCicco.

Lance Corporal DeCicco and his fellow marines in RCT-8 will focus on helping Iraqi civilian and military authorities, a job that’s now easier than years past.

Colonel John Love says, “No longer are we teaching basic policing on the streets. We are now helping with the advanced corrections, investigative procedures and connecting the police to the Iraqi judicial system.“

So hopefully soon other brothers like the DeCicco’s won’t need to be separated for long. Nicholas says, “I just think he is an awesome person and I just want to say thank you for everybody who serves.“