138th Fighter Wing Called Up

Oklahoma National Guardsmen are once again being deployed to Iraq.  Some 300 crew members and pilots from the 125th Fighter Squadron will be sent in September to provide support for troops on the ground.

The Air guard members are part of Tulsa's 138th Fighter Wing which has been deployed several times.  In fact, this will be the ninth combat mission in Iraq for the squad's lieutenant.

There are 20 pilots from the Tulsa area that will be part of a 16 plane combat fighter package. 

The remaining Oklahoma crews being deployed will be support personnel, mostly technical ground-support and air-control specialists.  The soldiers will be based at the Balad Air Base for 55 days.