Two deployment ceremonies -- in Oklahoma and in St. Paul -- were held Monday for nearly 800 National Guard members from Minnesota who will serve in Iraq.

At Fort Sill, Okla., Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and First Lady Mary Pawlenty spoke at the send-off for more than 700 Soldiers of the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade.

For the past three months, these Soldiers have been conducting pre-deployment training at Fort Sill.

The brigade is the command element of Task Force 34, which totals 2,500 Soldiers from 11 states and an active-duty unit stationed in Germany. Task Force 34 will command, direct, maintain and operate UH-60 Blackhawk utility helicopters, CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.

In St. Paul, 70 Soldiers of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment are heading for two months of training at Fort Sill and eventually service in Iraq. The Soldiers operate Blackhawk helicopters and will conduct medical evacuations and medical resupply missions.

Written By Paul Walsh
Monday, August 4, 2008