Approximately 60 Minnesota National Guard Soldiers from the B Company, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171 1st Aviation Regiment based in St. Cloud deployed to Kuwait and Iraq on Monday for a nine-month mission.

While deployed, the Soldiers will provide aerial movement of troops, supplies and equipment for support of maneuver, combat support and combat service support operations.

The Soldiers will first travel to Texas and join almost 75 Soldiers from Iowa’s National Guard, for additional training.

The unit previously deployed in 2016 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.