Local soldiers were honored in Oswego Tuesday morning as they prepare to leave their family and friends to serve in Afghanistan. Our Candace Hopkins has more on their mission and how their families will cope with their absence.

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OSWEGO, N.Y. -- For the more than one hundred soldiers of the 444th Engineer Company of Oswego, Tuesday's deployment ceremony was a rush of emotions, preparing to leave loved ones to serve a year deployment in Afghanistan.

"Today is going to be an emotional rollercoaster for the guys. They'll move forward. They got their battle buddies. The guys to the left and right of them in their ranks. That's who they're going to count on for however long the deployment lasts," said Captain Donald Oechslin.

Captain Oechslin will lead the soldiers during their mission to help the Afghan forces transition to power, a goal he is proud to be a part of.

"My intent when we leave is to better prepare the Afghan National Army. That's the commanders intent from higher above and that's what we're gonna go ahead and move forward and do. That would be a big stepping stone to continue to help them and develop them," Oechslin said.

But with that mission comes sacrifices, including leaving family and friends.

"I guess what I'm most worried about is, specially the guys I have to serve in and around, myself, our safety coming home in one piece, returning to our families and friends and of course our family, friends and loved ones we leave behind, it's obviously a sacrifice too and a worry for them as well," said Sgt. Brandon Coffey.

His father, John Coffey, is very proud of Brandon, but is sad to see him leave.

"We've known for several months that he was gonna go, but we weren't really prepared for today. I went when I was 18. That was easier," John Coffey said.

For these families, having a strong support system while their loved one is away will be key to making it through this deployment and that's an especially daunting challenge for those facing it for the first time.

"Basically, if you have problems at home, you talk to them instead of the person overseas because that's the last thing they need to be thinking about," said Jamie Manning, Brandon Coffey's girlfriend of four years.

And for each day that passes in the year these soldiers are gone, their loved ones will be standing strong, counting the days until they return.