700+ Minn. Guard troops headed to Iraq

St. Paul, Minn. — (AP) - More than 700 soldiers from a St. Paul-based unit of the Minnesota National Guard are scheduled to deploy to Iraq this month.

They are members of the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, which will command and maintain Blackhawk, Apache and Chinook helicopters.

Officials say the troops will help transport cargo, personnel and materials in Iraq.

The brigade has been training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for the past three months. A departure ceremony is scheduled there on Monday.

Following the ceremony, the Minnesota group Serving Our Troops is scheduled to serve a steak dinner to the departing troops and their families.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)