Virginia Beach, Va. ? Four of the seven Virginia-based Navy ships that have received deployment orders in the past week headed out to sea Sunday as a military buildup continued ahead of a possible war with Iraq.

The amphibious dock landing ships Portland and Ashland set sail from the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, and the amphibious assault ships Kearsarge and Bataan left Norfolk Naval Station.

The ships and three others that left Friday can carry a total landing force of about 8,000 Marines.

As the Ashland pulled away from its dock, about two dozen family members waved from a cold, wind-swept parking lot.

Kerri Rodriguez wiped away tears as she said goodbye to her husband, Petty Officer 2nd Class Edgar Rodriguez. She doesn’t know when she and their three children will see him next.

“It’s their job. If they’ve got to go, they’ve got to go,” she said. “I’m just very proud of him that he has the opportunity to serve his country and bring a lot of pride and honor to his family.”

Among the families, there’s a sense that war is on the march and that the last hug should be cherished because the next could be months away.

“We are preparing for a big deployment,” said John Masters, who along with son Joshua, 7, daughter Paryn, 3, and mother-in-law Donna Maes, who were waiting to see off wife, mother, daughter and USS Kearsarge legal officer Petty Officer 1st Class Leonette Masters.

Masters’ ship carries 1,100 sailors and a landing force of 1,900 Marines. In recent days, Hampton Roads-based amphibious ships have stopped at Camp Lejeune, N.C., to pick up Marines and equipment. Both of which are reportedly bound for the Persian Gulf.

“This isn’t a scheduled thing, so they’ll be gone for as long as is takes,” said John, also a petty officer who is currently on shore duty. “I just hope that we get over there and raise hell and get back.”

Kerri Rodriguez embraces her children, Javier, right, and Madeline, as they watch the USS Ashland, carrying her husband, Petty Officer 2nd Class Edgar Rodriguez, depart the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach, Va.

The family waited next to the mammoth Kearsage for Leonette and that last embrace, trying to squeeze some warmth out of the deceptively brilliant sun.

Elsewhere, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall headed out to sea from Morehead City, N.C. A Marine spokeswoman, Capt. Kelly Frushour, said she did not know how many troops were aboard the ship.

The Ashland hadn’t been scheduled to deploy until this summer. Leaving six months early is tough on the sailors and their families, said Cmdr. Sam Howard, the ship’s commanding officer.

“I have a 7-month-old son and I was expecting to see him walk before I deployed,” Howard said.

“There’s the emotional aspect of it,” he said. “But that’s also balanced with the emotional aspect of doing something so important.”

The Navy declined to say where the ships were headed.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has ordered more than 60,000 U.S. troops to head for the Persian Gulf region, a move that will double the size of the force already in the area. The Pentagon’s goal is to have at least 100,000 there by the end of the month.