About 30 airmen from the New Hampshire Air National Guard are schedule to be deployed to the Middle East next month.
The airmen will provide security for six air bases in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, which refers to the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan.
The deployment ceremony held this Sunday will be attended by Governor Chris Sununu, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, and Congresswoman Annie Kuster.
Captain Michael Petrin, with the Air National Guard, says having the dignitaries on hand can be important to the airmen.
“The governor is the commander-in-chief of the New Hampshire National Guard and for them to see the support of their commander-in-chief, it means a lot to them. Especially for a lot of the folks – it’s their first deployment. The first deployment is always the toughest one.”
The deployments begin in July and are scheduled to last six months.