The Thunderbirds Are Going to War

Insignia of the 45th Infantry, National Guard, "The Thunderbirds"

Guard units in 4 states may head to Iraq
Pentagon notifies brigades in Okla., Ohio, Ark., and Ind.; 13,000 troops
The Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. - The Department of Defense announced Monday it has notified National Guard brigades in Oklahoma, Ohio, Arkansas and Indiana to prepare for possible deployment to Iraq.

If the order is finalized, about 13,000 troops would begin deploying in December for a maximum of one year.

"They are receiving alert orders now in order to provide them the maximum time to complete their preparations," the Defense Department said in a prepared statement. "It also provides a greater measure of predictability for family members and flexibility for employers to plan for military service of their employees."

The troops would be used as replacement units and the deployment would not be associated with the current troop surge.

A final determination of whether these units will deploy will be made based on conditions on the ground in Iraq, the statement said.


The four National Guard brigade combat teams given the deployment alert were:

The 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Little Rock, Ark.
The 45th Infantry Brigade, Oklahoma City.
The 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Indianapolis.
The 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Columbus, Ohio.
© 2007 The Associated Press.
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