80 CT air men and women going over seas

EAST GRANBY, Conn. (WTNH) - Eighty air men and women from Connecticut are on their way to Afghanistan.

A send-off ceremony was held this afternoon for the members of the 103rd Civil Engineer Squadron and 103rd Security Forces Squadron.

"I think in a squadron that whole range of nervousness, excited, scared also, it plays a part in everything. I've always looked forward to go,' says says Master Sgt. Sean Thomas Keenan.

More than 70 people from the 103rd Security Forces Squadron and the 103rd Civil Engineer Squadron were honored with a formal send-off ceremony Wednesday at the Air National Guard Base before the group heads to Afghanistan. While President Barack Obama is vowing to reduce the number of troops, these service men and women were aware the call up was coming for sometime.

"I don't get caught up in that at all because we're there to do the job that somebody is doing right now. Whether we get scaled back or not, there's still a job that has to be completed, right now," says Derek Egerman.

There are currently fifty people from the National Guard who are in Afghanistan now, down from 1100 last year. In twelve months, that number could swell to more than 400. For those going now, it's not about numbers, it's about the job, one that many are anxious to tackle.

"To me, it's a paid vacation to tell you the truth. I've had an absolute great time everywhere I've gone," said Master Sgt. Sean Thomas Keenan.

*edited to fix attribution in last quote