OKLAHOMA CITY - Thousands of friends and family members packed into the Oklahoma City Arena Wednesday morning for a ceremony for the deployment of more than 3,200 Oklahoma National Guard soldiers and airmen who are being sent to Afghanistan.
The troops will leave March 1 for three months training before heading to northeast Afghanistan where they will conduct a variety of "full spectrum operations" according to Col. Joel Ward, who will command the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat team.
