Georgia guardsmen to deploy overseas about mid-May

ATLANTA - The 4,500 members of the Georgia National Guard's 48th Brigade - in training for deployment to Iraq, and including about 150 Gainesville-based soldiers - are moving closer to overseas deployment.

A guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Ken Baldowski, confirmed Monday that the brigade, which was activated late last year, is scheduled to deploy overseas about May 13 - with their initial stop reportedly Kuwait.

The soldiers are now undergoing training at Ft. Stewart near Savannah and are scheduled to leave for desert warfare training in California between March 26 and April 1, according to Col. Baldowski.

They'll return to Ft. Stewart for about week before going overseas.

The Pentagon said in December the 48th is the only guard unit scheduled for deployment to the war zone this year. It includes the Gainesville-based 121st Infantry.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/3/139036