One thousand members of the Minnesota Army National Guard are heading back to Iraq in 2009 with a big mission: they'll be in complete military command in eight of Iraq's 18 provinces.
The 34th Red Bull Infantry Division will begin a year long deployment February of 2009.
The eight provinces are in southern Iraq, roughly one third of the entire country. The 1,037 soldiers leave for training on February 13. The units will deploy from four communities: Rosemount, Inver Grove Heights, Stillwater, and Faribault. The Red Bull division has sent one thousand or more soldiers to duty before; once in Iraq and once in the Balkans. But this mission is different. The division will command all Coalition military operations in eight provinces, an area roughly the size of Minnesota with twice as many people. The division will provide leadership, command and control in those provinces, plus deal directly with the Iraqi Army, and police. According to the Army National Guard, 57 of the soldiers are from St. Paul, making that city the largest contributor of volunteers. Minneapolis is second with 35. National Guard officials say this is the first deployment for 693 (67%) of the soldiers; the second for 281 (27%); the third for 41 (4%); and the fourth deployment for 22 (2%).
Tyler cannot be sent now but may be sent in one year which I highly doubt considering his Unit will only be there until Feb. 2010, yeah right who I am kidding? Tyler is friends with some of the guys going over and will be pissy cuz he can't be there.
http://www.kstp.com/?articleID=184681
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