600 soldiers from Nevada National Guard headed to Afghanistan
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More than 600 soldiers from Nevada’s 1st Squadron, 221st Calvary mobilized today for a tour of Afghanistan in what their commander said will be the largest deployment of Nevada National Guard troops in history.
“We will soon be leaving for the most dangerous parts of the world,” Lt. Col. Scott Cunningham told thousands of family and friends of the citizen-soldiers during a ceremony at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The unit will provide security for reconstruction teams in Afghanistan and conduct counterinsurgency operations.
They will depart Saturday for a training stint at Camp Atterbury, Ind., before deploying for a nine-month mission in at least a dozen locations in Afghanistan.
