Local Kosovo deployment ceremony for Marshall soldiers set for April 5

Missouri National Guard officials are inviting the public and families of guard soldiers to honor the approximately 90 citizen-soldiers from the 1128th Force Provider Company Saturday, April 5, at 2 p.m. as they depart the Marshall armory for further mobilization training at Camp Atterbury, Ind. in preparation for their deployment to Kosovo.

The soldiers have been training since early March at Camp Clark, Nevada, Mo., according to a news release from the guard.

Some of the training conducted during the previous weeks included mine awareness, battle drills and warrior tasks, officials said.

Training at Camp Atterbury will focus on placing soldiers in an environment similar to that in which they will encounter while deployed, according to the news release.

After Camp Atterbury, the soldiers will travel to the Joint Multi-National Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, where they will be placed in realistic tactical situations that might arise while in Kosovo.

After final validation at JMRC, the Soldiers will deploy to Kosovo. They are expected to finish their mobilization in late March 2009.

These soldiers will support the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission, along with approximately 1,000 other citizen-soldiers of Missouri.

As a part of this mission the 1128th Forward Support Company will serve with the 129th Field Artillery.