Tulsa Air National Guard Members Set To Deploy To Iraq

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Members of the 138th Fighter Wing from the Tulsa Air National Guard will deploy to Southwest Asia next week.

They leave on Wednesday and will support Operation New Dawn, helping with the U.S. drawdown in Iraq.

They're expected to be there through November.

The deployment involves approximately 200 members and some of the wing's F-16C fighter jets.

The wing's executive officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jane Schotter, says there's a good reason why the wing has been flying more training sorties in recent weeks.

"Want to make sure everybody is fully prepared," said Schotter.

Lt. Col. Schotter says the group is being deployed to Iraq.  "It's just making sure that the drawdown has air support," she said.

According to Lt. Col. Schotter, "It's kind of a last-minute tasking.  And they called upon us and we're ready and going to go do the mission."

She says right now the airman are expected to be in Iraq past Thanksgiving, but that could change.