By Kevin Lavery, WKAR News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-923681.mp3
UNDATED – Some 600 Michigan Army National Guard soldiers are deploying for a one year mission to Kuwait. Two separate units held deployment ceremonies in Albion and Battle Creek Tuesday.
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America's combat role in Iraq is officially over, but support units are still active in the region.
While the 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery and the 1436th Engineering Company will spend the next year in Kuwait, their mission as security escorts will take them into Iraq.
The two units will first spend two months at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin to brush up on basic infantry skills that are required of all soldiers.
This deployment of 600 troops essentially doubles the size of Michigan's National Guard presence overseas. A second field artillery unit is scheduled to deploy later this month to join the two units in Kuwait.