Soldiers in the Idaho National Guard said their goodbyes to their families before they boarded a plane and started a one-year deployment that will take them to the Middle East.
More than 600 soldiers from the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team are now in Fort Bliss for 45 days of training before they head to southwest Asia in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
The Idaho National Guard has been preparing for this deployment for more than two years.
The Idaho National Guard soldiers will also be joined by soldiers from Oregon, Ohio and Montana.
