Keeping students in line at Clements High School is no longer the duty of Deputy Randy Burroughs, he will soon be facing a much more difficult challenge.

Burroughs, who has been the school resource officer for two years at Clements, goes on active duty as a member of the 128th Military Police unit on July 21 and will eventually be deployed to Iraq. He has been a member of the National Guard for approximately 11 years and served with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department for seven years.

Burroughs said he doesn’t dread the tour in any way; he’s just ready to get it done and come back home.

“Soldiers don’t think like civilians do,” he said. “To me, it’s just something I’ve got to do.”

But, he said it going to be tough to leave his family behind. He has one daughter, Kaitlyn, 2, and his wife Lisa is expecting baby number two sometime in January.

Burroughs said he hopes to be home for the birth of his child but doesn’t yet know how that will work out. In fact, he’s not even sure where he will be stationed once leaving the States.

While serving in the National Guard, Burroughs has already spent time away from his family but it has been for shorter periods of time. This time he will be on active duty for 18 months and may or may not get a period of rest and relaxation during which he will get to see his family.

“When you’re in the military you get used to stuff like that [being away],” he said.

As school resource officer and sheriff’s deputy, Burroughs is used to suiting up for trouble. There are not many occasions on the job during which he would not have on his protective vest. But, while in Iraq Burroughs will use more armor and more weapons.

Military Police perform such duties as convoy escorts and guarding camps. Burroughs could not be specific on what his duties will be once in Iraq.

He wasn’t much older than some of the students at Clements when he joined the National Guard. Burroughs, who is now 29, joined 11 years ago.

For Burroughs, joining the National Guard was a way he could do something that could make a difference and pay for college, as well as the fact he had an unsatisfying job.

So here he is more than 10 years later, getting ready for his first tour overseas.

Burroughs last day at Clements was Wednesday and he still has about two months before mobilization. He said he would have the option to come back to the school when he returns but says it’s too far ahead for now.

He said he’ll, “cross that bridge when I get there.”

But, his colleagues didn’t let him get away without some recognition. “I’m not one to make a big deal out of anything,” he said.

Shelia Bates initiated an effort to recognized Burroughs at the school’s awards day ceremony during which he was presented with a two-night stay at the Marriott in Florence for he and his wife along with money.

Bates said that she initiated the gathering process and that her son had been in Iraq and come back this year and Burroughs had helped her through her ordeal.

“He just became my substitute son while my son was gone,” she said.

Burroughs appreciates the generosity of the teachers at Clements.