When Robert Salinas Jr., was deployed to Kuwait City, a sergeant told him he would be there at least eight months.

Then the sergeant added he "could be there a lot longer," said Robert Salinas Sr., Robert Salinas Jr.'s father.

Robert Salinas Jr., a Marine lance corporal for the military police, has been in Kuwait City since Feb. 5.

Since his deployment, the Salinas family prays for Robert Jr.'s safe return. He enlisted in the Marines after graduating from Blooming Prairie High School in 2001.

War worries the family, but Robert Sr. said Saddam Hussein must be taken out of power.

"I really would like for them to take care of it, even though I have a son there," Robert Sr. said.

Myrna Jorgensen, whose husband is a staff sergeant in the National Guard 1133rd unit out of Mason City, Iowa, expressed similar thoughts about the war.

Her husband, Dwight, is an agriculture lender at Wells Fargo in Austin. His unit was called up Jan. 20. So far, he remains at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.

"You just sit and take one day at a time," Myrna Jorgensen said.

The Jorgensens have two children, 8-year-old Derek and 4-year-old Daria. She explains to Derek that the war in Iraq is like a bully who will not compromise with other students so that the teacher has to get involved.

"I just feel (Hussein) to be a bully," Jorgensen said. "He wants it done his way or no way."

If Dwight Jorgensen's unit is deployed to Kuwait, it won't be his first time to the Middle East. Three months after Jorgensen joined the 1133rd in 1990, the unit went to Saudi Arabia.

As compared to the early 1990s, Myrna Jorgensen finds that this war is "a whole new ball game."

Terrorist groups, for example, seem much more visible, she said. But because some soldiers have been to the Middle East before, the area is familiar, she said.

Myrna Jorgensen finds that communication is easier now than in was in the early 1990s. Dwight has a cell phone, an e-mail address and the 1133rd has a Web site where family and friends can post messages for the soldiers.

"As long as (Dwight) is in the States, we can call all the time," Myrna Jorgensen said.

But it's still hard on the family for him to be away from their St. Ansgar, Iowa, home. On Wednesday, Daria celebrated her fourth birthday. She received a card and e-mail message from her father and expected a phone call Wednesday night.

Communication isn't swift for the Salinas family.

After six weeks in Kuwait, Robert Salinas Jr.'s first letter home finally arrived at Robert and Gloria Salinas' house in Blooming Prairie Tuesday.

He had sent it four weeks ago.

Robert Jr., wrote knowing his two younger brothers, Steve and Jay Michael, may have a chance to make it to the state wrestling tournament. Jay Michael, a BPHS 10th grader, ended up placing fourth in his class at state three weeks ago.

"He was wishing them good luck," Robert Salinas Sr., said, with a chuckle, "but it got here a little late, though."

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com