Members of the New York Army National Guard said emotional goodbyes Wednesday in Cortlandt to relatives ahead of their deployment.

"I'm doing what has to be done," said Capt. Richard O'Brien. "It's a worthy sacrifice and I'm willing to do it," O'Brien said at the Camp Smith gathering.

Eighty-four members of the 106th Regional Training Institute will leave Sunday for Fort Bragg, N.C., where they'll train for two months. The brave men and women from across the state will then train Afghan army members for a year in Afghanistan.

Many family members choked back tears. "He's going to be away from his daughter and he might miss the birth of his second child," said military wife Lori Maldonado.

O'Brien asked that family members and others keep his comrades in their prayers.