Good luck. Do your job. Come back safely.

That was the overwhelming message 11 members of a Lawrence Army Reserve unit heard during a Saturday reception as they prepared for deployment, possibly to Iraq or Afghanistan.

“I’m sure that these soldiers will do as well as those other soldiers have ever done to accomplish their mission,” said Gen. Mike Symanski, commander of the 89th Regional Readiness Command.

The 89th oversees the 824th Quartermaster Battalion detachment, which recently was called to duty and is training at the Army Reserve Center, 2100 Iowa.

The unit will go to Fort Riley on Jan. 19, and sometime near the end of February it will be deployed overseas to a yet-to-be-disclosed location, military officials said. The unit specializes in petroleum acquisition and could be involved with transporting gasoline supplies in Iraq.

Members of the unit and some of their families met with representatives of the 89th Family Readiness Group to go over medical care and other information the soldiers and their families need to know, officials said.

During the reception before the meeting, however, the soldiers received a warm round of support from Symanski, U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat whose district includes east Lawrence, and state Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence.

Also paying a visit was a representative from the Governor’s Office, Randy Mettner, who read a letter of support from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Others present to offer support were Lawrence City Commissioner Sue Hack and former mayor Erv Hodges, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel.

During what might be his last visit with his wife and daughter before his deployment, Staff Sgt. Derek Lincoln plays with his daughter, Hailey, 10 months, as his wife, Brenda, looks on. Lincoln, who is a member of the 824th Quartermaster Battalion detachment, was with his family Saturday during a ceremony to wish the unit well in its upcoming deployment at the Army Reserve Post, 21st and Iowa streets. The Lincoln family is from Staunton, Ill.

Moore spoke to the soldiers after returning Friday from a trip to Iraq, Israel and Jordan as part of a congressional delegation. While in Iraq he said he spoke to several soldiers from Kansas and found them in “excellent spirits.”

“The fact is you are doing something for a very grateful nation,” Moore told the unit members. “I’m proud of you all. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Moore also encouraged the soldiers to contact him if they encountered any bureaucratic problems.

Ballard said her visit with the 824th was especially emotional because of her longtime friendship with Sgt. James Pilch and his family.

“Freedom comes at a cost, and someone has to sacrifice a little bit more,” Ballard said. “God bless you now and always and know that you will always be in our prayers.”

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Symanski told the family members of the battalion soldiers they played a special role during the deployment by handling affairs so the soldiers could concentrate on soldiering. The deployment could last up to 18 months.

Symanski also handed out special commemorative “deployment coins” for safekeeping by family members who would be looking over their loved ones’ affairs during the deployment.

“When the soldiers get back we’re going to have a bodacious party, and that is a good time to give (the soldier) the coin back,” Symanski said.

Scott Kemme received the coin for his fiancee, Lori Arnold, a teacher at Pinckney School and a sergeant in the unit. The couple got engaged only a few days ago. They did not know each other in February 2003 when Arnold was called for her first deployment, a four-month stateside call-up.

“This is all new to me,” Kemme said. “I don’t know what this is going to be like.”