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Massive deployment underway: Tennessee Guardsmen on the march towards Iraq, Afghanistan
by Times staff
9 months ago | 558 views | 0 0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Tennessee Guardsmen, including the state’s largest unit, are on the move this weekend.

National Guard units from throughout Tennessee, including Lafayette, began departing last week and will continue departing this week for pre-mobilization training sites as the first leg of a deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Their departure represents more than 3,000 men and women and brings the total number of Tennessee Guardsmen deployed since 9/11 to nearly 20,000.

Seventy-five guardsmen from Macon County and some of their families gathered Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Lafayette Armory for a send-off celebration. The event included live music, food, a raffle and several speakers from various organizations providing to support to the guardsmen, as well as their families.

Lafayette guardsmen were last deployed to Iraq in 2004-05.

The 1171st Transportation Company, composed of a total of 175 soldiers from Dresden and Tiptonville, left Dresden Friday morning, Dec. 4. The 1171st was bound for Fort Bliss, Texas, and then on to Iraq.

A Regional Corps Advisory Group, a composite of 16 soldiers from various locations in Tennessee, is scheduled to depart Tuesday, Dec. 8, from National Guard Headquarters in Nashville and travel to Camp Atterbury, Ind. This will be the first leg of their deployment to Afghanistan.

The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Tennessee's largest unit, is scheduled to leave today for Camp Shelby, Miss., for its pre-mobilization training. They will remain at the Mississippi post for about two months before deploying to Iraq.

The 278th is headquartered in Knoxville and has more than 3,000 soldiers in units across Tennessee. The units will leave from their

respective armories at varying times this morning.

The massive deployment will affect 45 cities and towns in Tennessee. They are:

Knoxville

Henderson

Selmer

Huntingdon

Waynesboro

Clarksville

Springfield

Milan

Ashland City

McKenzie

Cookeville

Gallatin

Jamestown

Livingston

Oneida

McMinnville

Crossville

Rockwood

Dunlap

Monteagle

Kingsport

Sweetwater

Newport

Greeneville

Smyrna

Lobelville

New Tazewell

Columbia

Clinton

Rogersville

Lafayette

Gordonsville

Humboldt

Parsons

Lewisburg

Shelbyville

Winchester

Maryville

Pigeon Forge

Covington

Memphis

Lebanon

Nashville

Athens

Dayton
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