Members of the New Hampshire Army National Guard head out next week for a deployment that will include a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The 140 members of the Mountain Infantry Company are based out of Milford and are expected to arrive in Afghanistan early next year.

Maj. Greg Heilshorn told WMUR the soldiers will patrol side-by-side with the local military, giving them the training and the skills to eventually carry out missions on their own.

About a quarter of those headed to Afghanistan have already spent time in Iraq.

A public deployment ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Milford Middle School.

Before heading to Afghanistan, the troops will receive at least a month of additional training in Indiana.

The Associated Press