500 more Utah troops called up

DRAPER — Another 500 Utah National Guard soldiers have been mobilized as part of a plan to rotate forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Reservists from Utah who were recently mobilized and family members were meeting Sunday for briefings. The Guard and Reserve units will serve in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

As far as the National Guard soldiers are concerned, "The affected units have begun deploying preparations and will report to Fort Carson, Colo., in early January for further mobilization training," said the Guard's Major Lorraine Januzelli.

Guard units deploying include the 1/211th Aviation Battalion, the 116th Combat Support Engineers Company, the 115th Engineer Group and another element from the 141st Military Intelligence Battalion. Many members of the 141st already are in Iraq.

The latest Guard members to be mobilized are based in Salt Lake and Utah counties, Januzelli said.

Meanwhile, families of Utah Army Reserve soldiers recently called to active duty were to meet, along with their families, for a readiness briefing Sunday.

About 50 soldiers and their relatives were to be briefed on topics relating to Army benefits for families and soldiers while the soldiers are on active duty. Conducting the briefings were the 395th Finance Battalion and the 117th Chaplain Detachment, both of Salt Lake City.

The Reserve units were part of the 96th Regional Readiness Command, headquartered in Salt Lake City. According to a news release, the units provide services ranging from medical logistics to suppling material, to engineer support, hospitals, personnel services, psychological operations and public affairs.

The Reservists are to leave for Fort Carson on Wednesday.