Community members and employers have been briefed on plans to deploy a National Guard unit based in Rhinelander and Tomahawk. The 951st Sapper Company is to be mobilized in November and will apparently head to Afghanistan. Company Commander Brian Barth of Neilsville says the advance notice provides time to ensure family members will have the help they need. "If the car breaks down, they have somebody identified to fix it," says Barth. "Somebody to shovel the snow, or help a family member out if need be."
First Sergeant Greg Fulton of Arbor Vitae was not too surprised to see the combat engineer unit called to duty again. Fulton says the citizen soldiers have three obligations one to their family, one to their employer and one to the National Guard. As he put it the more we can get everyone together on the same sheet of music, the better off we'll all be.