Just days after the five-year anniversary of the Iraq war, units from Fort Lewis are deploying to the war zone for the third time.

Thursday was the deployment ceremony for 14th Engineer Battalion.

It is dangerous duty that these combat engineers are heading into. They're in charge of moving around Iraq, seeking out the roadside bombs and destroying them before they explode.

"My thoughts going in is that we are more than honored to go once again and help the Iraqi people strengthen their security," said SFC Jesus Pedraza.

But Col. Randy Fofi of the 555th Engineer Brigade says there is an advantage to being in the same war zone a third time.

"As you look to your third deployment in this long war, I know that you are well prepared," he said.

It's going to be quite a transition for these soldiers here. They are going from training here to the combat zone over in Iraq. And they're going from freezing temperatures and snow flurries today to 100+ degree temperatures.

Lt. Col. Peter Helmlinger of the 14th Engineer Battalion said at the ceremony, "Most of the soldiers will only dream about the cool weather like this in July."

For the families left behind, the time away is brutal. The separation is tough and the worry about injuries and casualties is always on their minds.

And yet they support seeing their loved ones head off into the war zone.

Army wife Chad Pedraza, "This time it's a little harder to see him go and not watch them grow up, especially the youngest. He'll miss the first year and it's difficult but we do what we can and just keep ourselves busy."

It seems like the 14th Engineers just got back. We were there for the happy welcome home in October of 2006.

Now the families and friends of the 490 soldiers are hoping for a bigger celebration when the combat engineers come home sometime next year.

Today was the deployment ceremony. The troops will actually depart in two weeks.