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DENVER - On Saturday, April 18, more than 400 soldiers of the Colorado National Guard will depart from Buckley Air Force Base en route to Fort Hood,
Texas, where they will spend nearly three months training at before heading to Iraq.

The unit, which will deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, is the largest Colorado Army National Guard unit to be mobilized since World War II.

Since January, more than 400 soldiers from across Colorado have been dedicated to training for this 12-month deployment. These soldiers are trained to perform field artillery missions but for this deployment, they will be supporting infantry-style missions.

The battalion, which is based out of Colorado Springs, has units in Longmont, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and La Junta.

Last deployed in Europe as the 157th Infantry during World War II, the unit helped liberate the concentration camp at Dachau, Germany. Last commanded on the battlefield by the late Brig. Gen. Felix Sparks, the 157th will again make history with the state's largest Army National Guard mobilization since then.

"The Colorado National Guard will continue to demonstrate that we are a ready, relevant and reliable force in the War on Terror," said Maj. Gen. Ewards, the Adjutant General of Colorado.

Edwards maintains his support for the "Quality of Life" policy, which is to keep soldiers on a predictable deployment cycle. Soldiers will not be involuntarily mobilized if they fall within a three-year window of their last deployment; however, many soldiers volunteered to waive this.

The Colorado Army National Guard launched its Pre-Mobilization Training Assessment Team to validate training in Colorado reducing the overall time soldiers spend at a mobilization station by conducting much of the required training at local armories and Fort Carson. 

"Our goal is to reduce the amount of time Soldiers spend away from their families and employers," Edwards said. "This new concept reduces the overall
time Soldiers and units spend at mobilization stations by up to three months."

Information provided by Colorado Army National Guard.