ST. AUGUSTINE - The Afghanistan army will receive training from about 1,000 Florida National Guard soldiers expected to be called to active duty next spring, a Guard spokesman said.
Lt. Col. Ron Tittle said the callup will include soldiers from around the state, but most will be from the central Gulf Coast. Some Central Florida soldiers have been told to prepare for a callup next May, Tittle said.
The brigade for the training mission, expected to last 12 to 18 months, is a provisional unit, and will be commanded by the headquarters company of the 53rd Infantry Brigade based in Tampa, Tittle said.
An infantry company of about 200 went to Afghanistan last year, where part of their role was to train the Afghanistan National Army.
"Now the army has asked that 1,000 of us come back and help continue training. We plan to teach them the basic and advanced soldiering skills so they can protect their homeland and take pride in doing so," Tittle said.
