Plymouth Guard unit headed to Afghanistan

PLYMOUTH (AP) - A Wisconsin Army National Guard field artillery unit is on its way to Afghanistan.

The 80-member Plymouth-based Bravo Battery is trained to fire rocket and missile rounds from a self-contained vehicle. After months of training at the Plymouth Armory, the unit spent weeks at Fort Bliss, Texas preparing for deployment.

The Sheboygan Press says the soldiers dealt with a variety of weather at Fort Bliss, including high wind, rain, sandstorms and a snowstorm.

Capt. Matthew Mangerson, the unit's commander, says there are a small number of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System units in the country. And, he says an even smaller number have fired rockets in 70 mph crosswinds.