186th Air Refueling Wing headed to Iraq

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
May 29, 2004
About 30 members of the Mississippi Air National Guard's 186th Air Refueling Wing will deploy Monday in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
They are part of more than 270 members of the 186th ARW that will be deployed in phases over the next month, according to Maj. Brad Crawford, a spokesman for the unit.
The group will depart from Meridian's Key Field, and tours of duty will range from 14 days to 60 days, depending on each guardsman's responsibilities within the unit.
Crawford said 30 more troops will leave on Tuesday and 30 on Wednesday, a combination of full-time and part-time guardsmen. An advance team of 30 members left for Iraq on Tuesday.
The 186th ARW will support Operation Iraqi Freedom's flying missions. Crawford said it will be a good opportunity for members to use their training in real-world conditions.
Crawford would not release the unit's destination for safety reasons. The first group is scheduled to leave Meridian on Monday at about 1 p.m.