160 Wisconsin troops nearing deployment to Afghanistan

FORT MCCOY (AP) — About 160 members of the Wisconsin National Guard are getting ready to leave for a deployment in Afghanistan.

The members of the 829th Engineer Company will be sent off with a ceremony Friday morning at Fort McCoy.

The unit is usually involved in construction, but its mission this time will be to help break down American military bases. It's all part of U.S. efforts to reduce troop presence in Afghanistan.

This will be the company's third deployment. The previous two sent them to Iraq in 2003 and 2009. However, this will be the first deployment for about half the troops in the company.

The unit will head to Texas for some specific training before heading to Afghanistan. The troops are expected to return in the spring of 2015.