News 12 This Morning, August 13, 2009

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.---Soldiers with the 35th Signal Brigade are preparing for deployment to Iraq. Over 400 soldiers are expected to depart over the next week.

This is a historic deployment, leaders say, due the amount of soldiers that are leaving. Over 400 troops from 2 different units are included with this round. Typically, Ft. Gordon deploys Signal troops in much smaller numbers, sometimes in just pairs. A deployment of this size, for Ft. Gordon, is "significant", says Lt. Col. Keith Garwold.

"We will bring the communications technology, internet, and telephone to the areas where we are deployed," Garwold adds. "We are part of a rotation for deployment and have been preparing for quite a while."

These two units from Ft. Gordon will be replacing a National Guard unit out of Delaware which has been preforming similar duties. While no exact timetable has been set, leaders say many of these troops can expect to be deployed for about a year.