Additional Army guard unit deploys from Fairchild Published April 19, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Washington Army National Guard 1st Battalion, 168th Regiment is scheduled to leave in mid-June for mobilization training at Fort Sill, Okla., after which they will deploy to Kuwait. The 168th is following two units from C Company, 1st Battalion, 140th Regiment that left April 9 and will deploy to Iraq after the four-months at Fort Sill. These units are expecting to be deployed for one year. Combined, the Army National Guard will be deploying approximately 200 Soldiers from the Washington and Idaho regions, said Maj. David Caporicci, the facility commander of one of two Army aviation support facilities, who will deploy with the 168th to Kuwait. While deployed, the 168th will be working VIP missions for the Army commanding general for Army Central Command. "This will be my first time deploying in my 20 years with the guard," said Major Caporicci, who will be accompanied by other first-time deployers, as well as experienced deployers. The unit moved from Geiger Field to Fairchild in June 2006 and has been active here in a variety of ways. Generally, the unit is activated in response to natural disasters, mainly fires, said Major Caporicci. In addition to that, they have provided rides in the Black Hawk helicopter to members of Team Fairchild when not training, which, according to the major, is a great way to view Spokane and the area. The guard unit also has had a good working relationship with the Survival School here, and has aided them with training missions in various situations, said the major. The deploying team is a diverse group of Soldiers, said Major Caporicci, as the members of the guard unit range from college students to accountants, from teenagers to a 62-year old man who is pushing the age limit. "It's like a family. Everyone looks out for every one," said the major. "I think they're going to do great in their deployment. They've got the experience level and they are getting the opportunity to do what they've been training to do."