News from Around Minnesota (200 from 148th MN ANG to Iraq)

[struggle4progress]

Posted on Mon, Feb. 19, 2007

DULUTH, Minn. - About 200 members of the 148th Minnesota Air National Guard unit left early Monday on a charter jet that would ultimately carry them to Balad Air Base in Iraq.

They were the largest group from the unit in a planned 400-person deployment that will fly and maintain a dozen F-16C jet fighters in support of ground troops over the next two months.

The troops mustered shortly after 2 a.m. in a garage at the unit's base in Duluth. About half of them had gone on a similar deployment in 2005.

Lt. Col. Mark Vavra said the troops had four months of preparation for the mission, including training for chemical attacks and using their firearms ...

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/state/minnesota/16734897.htm

[C_U_L8R]

1. Seem to be an awful lot of deployments

Iran. Iran so far away.
I just ran, Iran all night and day.
I couldnt get away.