Roughly 70 California Army National Guard soldiers from the San Diego-based 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will leave Tuesday for a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan, according to a National Guard news release.
Before arriving in Afghanistan, the 79th IBCT soldiers will first train at Camp Shelby in Mississippi.
The job of the unit, once in Afghanistan, will be to mentor fellow soldiers in the Afghan National Security Force, according to Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, adjutant general for the California National Guard:
“This deployment serves as a reminder that the California National Guard is still very active in combat operations overseas. Mentoring missions like this are critical in ensuring we prepare the people of Afghanistan for success as completely as possible.”
Family and friends are slated to gather tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. for a special departure ceremony at the Marriott San Diego in Mission Valley. The public is welcome to attend.
