About 50 soldiers with Fargo's Air National Guard are packing their bags for deployment in the global war on terrorism.
The soldiers have volunteered for deployments to Iraq and throughout the Persian Gulf and southwest Asia, Air Guard spokesman Master Sgt. Dave Somdahl said.
Members of the 119th Fighter Wing will serve combat support missions, specializing in aircraft maintenance, construction, security details and other duties, Somdahl said.
During the next two weeks, the soldiers will be deployed in small groups and serve in missions lasting between three weeks and three months, he said.
"They'll be scattered all over," Somdahl said. "By the end of August, everybody will be back."
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Somdahl said the Air National Guard is not releasing the soldiers' exact deployment locations for operational safety reasons.
For some of the soldiers, the overseas deployment will be their third in as many years, Col. Robert Becklund, the Fargo base's commander, said in a news release.
Since 9/11, about 100 North Dakota Air National Guard members have taken part in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Zent at (701) 241-5526
