National Guard troops from Gainesville, Cumming deploy for training on Monday

Posted 1:00PM on Friday, November 23, 2018

National Guard troops from both Gainesville and Cumming will leave home on Monday, Nov. 26 bound for several weeks of training before they head to Afghanistan in January.

Residents are invited to line the streets in both communities to give the soldiers a supportive send-off. Signs of support and American flags are appropriate for either community. See details below for each event.

Hall County send-off plans

In Gainesville, Charlie Company 1/121 Army National Guard with the 48th Brigade will step off from the National Guard Armory on Alta Vista Road at 10 a.m.

Community members are encouraged to line Alta Vista Road down to John Morrow Parkway and then gather in the parking lot between Bruster's and Gainesville High School where buses will be waiting to take the soldiers to Ft. Stewart in Hinesville, Ga. Charlie Company is set to deploy to Afghanistan in January.

Forsyth County send-off plans

Soldiers with the National Guard 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry based in Forsyth County will leave at 11 a.m. from the Cumming Regional Readiness Center at 100 Aquatic Circle.

The planned route begins on Pilgrim Mill Rd. towards Highway 9, then continues from Highway 9 to Highway 20 and onto Veterans Memorial Boulevard then to Georgia 400 southbound.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and the City of Cumming have partnered with the National Guard to support the send-off event.