Approximately 400 Wisconsin Army National Guard soldiers received notification Friday that they are headed to Iraq for a 10-month tour. The confirmation came just days after the soldiers, from the 724th Engineer Battalion, were alerted to the upcoming deployment.
The 724th will report to Fort McCoy in March for several weeks of training before departing to Iraq. The entire mobilization will last one year.
Affected units include Company A in Hayward, the 273rd Engineer Company in Medford, the 950th Engineer Company in Superior and Spooner and Headquarters Company in Chippewa Falls. Major Jackie Guthrie with the Wisconsin National Guard said this week that the unit won’t engage in combat action, but their mission could include “detonating explosive devices.”
The soldiers will join the 3,700 Wisconsin Guard members on active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations.
