The New Mexico National Guard will deploy an estimated 800 soldiers — including 200 from Northern New Mexico — to Iraq at some point after March, according to National Guard spokeswoman 1st Lt. Amanda Straub.
Among those who have volunteered for the deployment are eight soldiers from Española’s Detachment 3 of the 1115th Transportation Company, based in Taos, Sgt. Christopher Sanchez said.
“This unit is 40 strong,” Sanchez said. “Only eight of us are not wearing combat badges — and all eight have volunteered to go to Iraq. None of the volunteers have gone before.”
Sanchez noted that despite having sent over 30 soldiers to Iraq since 2003, no soldiers from the Española unit have been killed.
National Guard soldiers are given three-year breaks between deployments, Sanchez noted.
“So they went for volunteers because so many (New Mexico National Guard soldiers) have been deployed,” he said. “They have close to the number of volunteers needed, but they need to validate volunteers in March to make sure we’re not a bunch of rag-bags.”
Training for deployment will emphasize reviewing basic combat training, Sanchez said.
There will also be at least some training in Arabic language phrases and Iraqi customs, Sanchez said.
“It could be a month or six months before we’re in Iraq,” Sanchez said.
The National Guard plays a larger role in military deployments now than was the case in past conflicts, Sanchez noted.
“The days of joining the National Guard and not deploying are long gone,” Sanchez said. “National Guard deploy just as often as regular army. Maybe 70 percent of New Mexico guard have already deployed.”
Asked how his family is taking the news of his planned deployment, Sanchez smiled.
“It hasn’t really hit them yet,” he said. “Once we’re closer to leaving, there will be some shock but they’ll be alright.”
Sanchez’s younger brother, Bolivar, is a soldier in the army and has deployed twice already to Iraq and is now preparing for duty in Afghanistan, Sanchez said.