By Melissa Ganje, FOX 21 News
photo by Carrie Kohlmeier

DULUTH - More than 180 National Guard soldiers from the Duluth-based 114th Transportation Company are deploying to Afghanistan.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was at the DECC to send them off Sunday afternoon.  The unit will deploy for one year providing convoy security and ground transport of mission essential supplies to coalition forces in Afghanistan.

"We should never, ever give up on them; we need to support them with our words and our deeds 110% we support them and their mission," said Governor Pawlenty.

Sergeant Patrick Rix just got back from a deployment to Iraq last July.  "It's kind of like walking through the front door of the house just to walk out the back door of the house but it is what it is, sometimes it's just what we are asked on to do and it's our mission," said Sergeant Rix.

The 114th transportation company will leave the state for training on Wednesday.  Another sendoff ceremony is planned Monday in Chisholm, where the 114th has a detachment.  That ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. in Chisholm High School.