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The soldiers of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment are speeding up their training before deploying to Iraq in February.

At the same time, soldiers' families are trying to make sure things are secure on the home front.

It's a big job, and the Family Readiness Group is asking Blount Countians for help. They want to make sure local troops can spend Christmas 2009 at home with their families.

That's the immediate mission of the Family Readiness Group that supports Howitzer Battery, 1st Squadron, stationed at the National Guard Armory on West Lamar Alexander Parkway.

Joan Bennett, leader of the local Family Readiness Group, is working with other group members so soldiers will be able to squeeze in as much family time as possible before the deployment.

To do that they need money.

The squadron is leaving Maryville on Dec. 6 for Camp Shelby, Miss., for final training before duty in Iraq. The troops will get a few days off for Christmas. They would like to spend those holidays with their families.

The Family Readiness Group has been raising funds to contract for buses to bring the Maryville-based guardsmen back to Blount County for Christmas and to return them to Mississippi to complete their training.

Here's how one of the soldiers put it: "We get a break from training for about a week. (The Family Readiness Group) is just trying to help families be together -- because after Christmas there will be very little time for that."

Some contributors have already pitched in, and Bennett has a message for them: "Thank you so much for all your support helping our troops. It is greatly appreciated."

But the Family Readiness Group is about $3,000 short of what they need to hire the buses.

To smooth the process, Bennett has opened a special account at First Tennessee, 2441 U.S. 411 South, Maryville. That is the bank's "411 at the Shops" branch.

Checks should be made out to: Maryville 278th Unit Bus Fund.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to help bring our troops home for Christmas can drop off a contribution at the bank or mail it to:

Maryville 278th Unit Bus Fund
C/O First Tennessee Bank
P.O. Box 9720
Maryville, TN 37802

For more information on how you can help the troops, contact Joan Bennett at jjbennett12@gmail.com or by phone at 681-6705.