By Sara StrongAfter being on alert for a few weeks, local members of the National Guard got official notice Tuesday that they will leave for Europe in about a month.They will be in European bases for an estimated six months.The 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — with 46 local members — will go to U.S. bases in Europe as part of security missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.Col. Denny Shields works in public information for the Minnesota National Guard. He said, "They basically need more people power to implement security changes."Since security measures are more strict than in the past, National Guard members are helping bases around the world and across the United States implement the higher security standards. Guard members serve as additional security officers, and could be doing things such as checking IDs and patrolling bases. Shields said the battalion will be mobilized sometime in mid-August, and that exact deployment locations will be known at that time. He said the date could vary by a few days also.The options for guardsmen locations are United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Belgium or Turkey.Maj. Gen. Eugene Andreotti, the Minnesota National Guard’s Adjutant General said, "This mobilization will provide the necessary forces to ensure security for our troops, their dependents and U.S. military installations."
