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--> --> Associated Press Maj. Gen. Alexander Burgin, commander of the Oregon Army National Guard, said at a news conference Tuesday that over 500 Oregon Army National Guard soldiers will be mobilized, trained and deployed to Egypt. National Guard unit called up ASHLAND (AP) - About 500 Oregon Army National Guard members headquartered in Ashland will be sent to the Sinai Peninsula in early 2002 to take part in an international peacekeeping mission, officials said Tuesday. The 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry of the 41st Infantry Brigade has members in Medford, Roseburg, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls. The battalion will participate in the Multinational Force and Observers mission, which will serve from spring 2002 to January 2003, said Army National Guard spokesman Maj. Jeff Julum. "It's a mission that was designed back in the 1970s by the United Nations to prevent further conflict between the Egyptians and Israelis," he said. The action marks the largest deployment of Army Guard troops since World War II, Julum said. The unit will begin training for its duties in March 2002 at Fort Carson, Colo., and could be activated until February 2003. "In reality, if something happened in this theater (in the Sinai), they could remain in that theater," said Maj. Gen. Alexander Burgin, commander of the Oregon National Guard. "We don't expect that, but you never know in this situation." The 186th is made up of 484 men who range in age from 18 to mid-40s, but most are in their mid-20s. While in the Sinai, they will guard checkpoints and perform regional reconnaissance patrols. The 41st Infantry Brigade also has units in Forest Grove and Cottage Grove, but those will not be activated, officials said. The selected battalion will join up with 1,900 soldiers - about 900 of them from the United States - in the Sinai and will relieve a similar force based in Arkansas, which was called up last month, Burgin said. While the troops' mission won't have any direct link to operations in Afghanistan, its deployment is the direct result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Burgin said. Since Sept. 11, National Guard troops have been used to fill in behind regular troops being deployed in the war against terrorism. As active duty forces are sent to Afghanistan, National Guard units replace them around the world, Burgin said. The Oregon Army National Guard members join about 500 Oregon Air National Guard troops who have been guarding the Northwest air space since Sept. 11. In all, the U.S. Department of Defense has brought more than 55,000 national guard and reserve troops into active duty since Sept. 11. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing