Eight-year-old Griffin McDonald with his dad, Sgt. James McDonald, during a farewell barbecue Friday at CFB Edmonton. About 130 soldiers are to be deployed to Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. (Perry Mah, QMI Agency)

EDMONTON - Brave, confident faces of 130 Edmonton-based soldiers filled an Edmonton Garrison hall for one last family celebration before deployment to Afghanistan.

"It is a mixed combination of being excited and anticipating what could

happen over there," said Corp. John Nancarrow, who is gearing up for his first Afghanistan tour, sometime in mid-April.

Soldiers deploying for the tour of about seven months include 110 members from the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) armoured regiment and 20 members from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment Battle Group.

They will provide heavy armoured support. Nancarrow will be going over as a loader for the Leopard II tanks.

He took in Friday's farewell at the Lecture Training Facility with his wife of 13 years.

"I never wanted him to go over in the first place, but I am his wife and I will support him in what he wants to do," said Lora Nancarrow.

The couple have two boys, aged 11 and 14. They are "not too worried because he's in a tank," she added.

Sgt. James McDonald vows to spend as much time as possible over the next few weeks with his wife and eight-year-old son, Griffin.

"He is very well-trained, he's been doing it for a long time and he is good at what he does," said wife Pattty Warren, watching son and dad laughing and teasing one another.

The whole family is anticipating a trip to Disneyland after the tour.

Task Force 1-10's role will be to aid in the rebuilding of Afghanistan along with providing security to the Kandahar region.

"They are ready for the challenges they are about to face," said Lt.-Col. Malcom Bruce, deputy commander, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, who addressed the troops and their loved ones.