Celebrations planned for troops going to Iraq

Public celebrations are planned throughout the state to help send off about 450 soldiers with the Utah National Guard's 1st Battalion, 145th Field Artillery.

On Tuesday, members of the 1-145th will be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, for training before deploying to Iraq as part of a 12-month tour that includes working as military police. Exactly where in Iraq they will serve has not been determined.

The 1-145th consists of batteries from Logan, Brigham City, Manti, Spanish Fork, Fillmore and Camp Williams.

Public celebrations will be held: 9 a.m. today at Brigham City Hall; 11 a.m. Monday at Fillmore's Territorial Statehouse Park; 11 a.m. Monday parade along Manti's Main Street; and 1 p.m. Monday parade on Main Street in Spanish Fork, starting at Macey's and ending at the city park. Private gatherings for soldiers' families will precede the events in Fillmore and Manti.