Army National Guard soldiers from Bay Shore bid farewell to their loved ones Wednesday as they start their deployment to Afghanistan.

The soldiers and their families joined for one last goodbye at a send-off ceremony at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood.

More than 130 members of the Bay Shore National Guard will be leaving. They are part of 1,400 soldiers in the 27th Brigade Combat embarking on the mission. The soldiers will first go to Fort Bragg to train for two months and then will spend at least one year training Afghan military and police.

?It?s hard to leave them back,? Sgt. Robert Bacon said of his wife and kids. ?Knowing they?re going to be left alone.? Bacon said he feels better knowing there is an active family support group in the community to ensure his family will be taken care of.

?I?m feeling so sad, but I think he?s okay,? Bacon?s wife Lucy said. ?He?ll be okay.?

The soldiers are expected to be back by next March.

To watch interviews with some of the soldiers shipping out to Afghanistan, go to channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO Extra.