By Rachel Beck, Lebanon Express writer | Posted: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 12:00 am
Members of the National Guard 41st Brigade have been notified that they will deploy to Iraq in late spring of 2009.
Sgt. Travis Sigfridson of Lebanon's A Troop, 82nd Cavalry, said the 41st brigade "is a majority of Oregon units," comprised of four major battalions: two infantry, one squadron, and a corps battalions.
"Here in Lebanon, we fall underneath the cavalry squadron," Sigfridson said.
The unit got the warning order in March of 2008. The mobilization order came through about a month ago.
He said their training has been "ramped up" as a result of the impending mobilization.
"They're putting more money into our training now," he said.
"Also, we've been working on family readiness, personnel readiness, making sure they've got the proper packets all filled out and that their medical forms are all taken care of, stuff like that."
The deployment is for 12 months, including a training period, said spokesman Major Mike Braibish.
"They will probably be in Iraq for about 10 months," Braibish said.
The location of the training has not been finalized, but it may be in Idaho or Mississippi, Braibish said.
Sigfridson has heard the unit will go to Idaho for 30 to 40 days, then to Fort Stewart, Ga., and from there fly to the Middle East.
Sigfridson said he's not exactly sure what tasks the soldiers will be doing in Iraq, but has an idea.
"I'm pretty sure it's just going to be a security mission," he said. "Just security of whatever area that we're assigned to, pretty much, convoy security, things like that."
The brigade includes 3,500 soldiers, approximately 1,200 of whom have been deployed one or more times out of state, according to a Guard spokesman, Capt. Stephen Bomar. That number includes Sigfridson, who was deployed to Iraq in 2004.
The potential for mobilization has been a draw to some recruits.
"We do have a bunch of new guys, a bunch of guys that volunteered just to go, pretty much," Sigfridson said.
Overall, he added, the soldiers are eager to get to work in Iraq.
"I think generally they're kind of excited a little bit," he said. "It's kinda weird with the military; it's kinda like practicing for a football game and never getting to play, so they finally get to go test their skills."