Family, Friends and Officials See Off National Guard Troops Bound For Afghanistan [AUDIO]

A deployment ceremony was held at the National Guard Helicopter Base in St. Cloud for 21 soldiers today.

The soldiers will train beginning on April 24th in New Mexico in preparation for a one year deployment to perform medical evacuation support in Afghanistan.

They were seen off by a host of local and State officials, including Governor Mark Dayton.

Most of the soldiers, including Crew leader Neil Scott, have served in the Middle East before.

Scott says the Battalion will be deployed for no longer than 400 days, though that is subject to change.

The soldiers hail from 18 communities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.