Oregon Public Broadcasting

A mobilization ceremony will be held Saturday for 28 local soldiers headed to Iraq.   Pete Springer reports.

The mission for the Oregon Air National Guard soldiers will be to help direct military and civilian air traffic.

It’s the second overseas deployment for eight of the soldiers.  They previously spent four months in Afghanistan.

Major Mike Braibish is with the Oregon Air National Guard. 

He says despite repeat deployments, the National Guard has still managed to help out locally during disasters like northwest Oregon's  storms last December.

Mike Braibish: “This is one of a series of deployments that we have had since the global war on terror began.  We’ve been deploying both army and guard resources.  Thoughout all of this though, we’ve been able to maintain our responsibilities to state support.”

The 28 soldiers are being deployed to Iraq for four months.

Next spring, 3500 Oregon Guard soldiers will go to Iraq for a full year.