Oklahoma troops honored as they prepare for duty

The Oklahoma National Guard's largest battalion, the 120th Engineer Battalion, headed to Fort Sill Thursday. <br><br>This is the "Charlie" Company. They left from Okemah Thursday, and the town gave

Thursday, December 11th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Oklahoma National Guard's largest battalion, the 120th Engineer Battalion, headed to Fort Sill Thursday.

This is the "Charlie" Company. They left from Okemah Thursday, and the town gave them a big send off. The 120th has units in several communities in northeast Oklahoma. All of them will be at Fort Sill for a few months of pre-mobilization training, then on to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thursday's deployment takes a lot of key people out of one small town. Retired banker, Jim Erdman: "A lot of people and a lot of businesses will be affected, the owners will be gone."

It is possible many of these troops will get a couple of days at home for Christmas, then back to Fort Sill for more training.