Rock Hill SC Guard unit preps for Afghanistan

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) — About 160 South Carolina Army National Guard soldiers are preparing for a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan.

The Herald of Rock Hill reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/xp94GF ) that the 178th Combat Engineer Battalion is heading to a training site within the next few months in preparation for the expected deployment this summer.

Lt. Col. Coral Dobson says the unit’s mission includes construction duties and the force will take its vehicles, equipment and maintenance staff. Dobson says a forward support company and a headquarters unit are accompanying the force.

Soldiers from armories at Fort Mill, Clover, Lancaster and Chester are part of the unit. Soldiers from the unit deployed to Iraq in 2003 for a year and twice more to Afghanistan. Some of the soldiers are on their fourth deployment.

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Information from: The Herald, http://www.heraldonline.com