Guard to Afghanistan

VINCENNES, IND. (WTHI) - Hundreds of Wabash Valley National Guard soldiers start getting ready for another trip to a war zone.

Some 550 guardsmen from Linton, Washington, Martinsville, Vincennes, Jasper and Evansville have been told to be ready to head out for training in July with a deployment to Afghanistan in October.

The citizen soldiers are now starting their personal preparations for a difficult year.

Just 3 year ago members of the 1-151 packed up their duffels and headed off to a deployment in Iraq.

Now it appears they'll be going overseas again.

"Just here we go again," said Indiana National Guard Staff Sergeant Brandon Wedding at the armory in Vincennes. "This will be the third time."

The last 2 deployments were to Iraq.

This time the guard appears headed for Afghanistan.

"It's going to be a little different than going to Iraq, because I've never been there," said Staff Sergeant Ben Hammond who is also a Vincennes Police Officer, "but we have some other guys in the unit that have been to Afghanistan."

While about half of the members of the 1-151 weren't with the Guard the last time when they went to Iraq, there's no real surprise with these latest orders.

"Pretty much when you join now you look to the fact you may be going somewhere," said Sgt. Wedding.

The guard is expected to undergo normal training for the next few months until they get mobilized, and in the meantime the soldiers will be busy taking care of things at home.

"Pretty much just making sure everything in you home life is ready," said Wedding. "You want to make sure cars are kept up with, bills are good. Just make sure your spouses and significant others don't have any problems while you're gone."

"Spend as much time with friends and family before I go, make sure all my equipment and gear is in order the way I want it," added Sgt. Hammond.

For the soldiers its all part of getting ready for another long time away from home doing their duty in a far away land.

The soldiers received an alert order in December and officials say they expect to get notice of mobilization in the next 30 days.