Illinois National Guard Deploying 400 Soldiers To Afghanistan

The largest mobilization of Guardsmen and women in the state of Illinois is about to happen. 400 soldiers from Illinois are about to be deployed in Afghanistan according to WIFR.com. Members from the 178th Infantry in Chicago along with companies as far away as Peoria will start heading out this weekend. This deployment is set for a year.

They are going to support 'Operation Freedom's Sentinel.' Soldiers will first head down to Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas. Troops will be heading to Afghanistan around the same time their Presidential election begins on September 28th. Although we don't have near as many troops in Afghanistan  as we did ten years ago but there are still around 14,000 Service men and women stationed there now. The men and women of the armed forces do so much for our country. We salute them all and thank them for their service.