NV Army Guard soldiers, copters to Afghanistan

RENO " The Nevada Army National Guard's MEDEVAC helicopter unit is headed to Afghanistan this week.

About 55 soldiers and eight medics will be deployed for a year to help provide medical evacuation capabilities to coalition forces there.

The soldiers belong to the Guard's Detachment 1, C Company 168th General Support Aviation Battalion based at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Stead.

They are scheduled to depart at 9 a.m. Wednesday with six of the battalion's seven Black Hawk helicopters. The seventh will remain in Nevada to help fight wildfires.

It marks the third time since 2001 that the 168th has gone on a major deployment. The previous trips were to Afghanistan and Fort Carson, Colo.