By Kari Petrie / St. Cloud Times

With their training done, 550 Minnesota National Guard soldiers are waiting to go to Iraq where they’ll provide convoy security.

The members of the 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery are ready for their yearlong deployment to Iraq. Their commander, Lt. Col. Scott St. Sauver of Pierz, spoke to reporters Friday during a teleconference and outlined the unit’s plans. The battalion will be in Iraq next month.

The soldiers will be providing convoy security throughout Iraq, bringing supplies to other bases and helping to remove equipment from Iraq as part of the reduction in U.S. forces there. The 151st will be stationed in Kuwait but will travel across Iraq on missions.

The unit is made up of groups from Montevideo, Appleton, Marshall, Madison, Olivia, Morris and Ortonville. Ten soldiers are from St. Cloud and six are from Little Falls.

The group’s deployment coincides with what St. Sauver calls the United States’ “drawdown” from Iraq. On Tuesday the United States will pull back from major Iraqi cities as part of an agreement to be out of Iraq by 2011.

St. Sauver said he doesn’t anticipate the drawdown affecting security and safety for his troops. They have trained well and have equipment to keep them safe, he said.

“We have a good platform for running missions,” he said.

This is the first deployment for 85 percent of the soldiers, but the others are returning for second, third and, in two cases, a fourth time. St. Sauver said those returning members will provide important experience to the group.

“They understand the situation better,” he said.

The average soldier is 28. St. Sauver said he’s confident in them.

“Everyone knows their job,” he said.

One of the toughest parts of deployments is the wear and tear it takes on families, he said. But soldiers will be living on base and will be able to communicate via e-mail and telephone.

On Thursday night soldiers had just returned from a four-day pass to spend with their families.

St. Sauver said it’s important that Minnesotans remember those serving abroad.

“Community support is vitally important,” he said.

Original story is here