Idaho's congressional delegation - Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Walt Minnick and Mike Simpson - issued the following statement on the big Idaho Guard deployment to Iraq announced today:

 “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families whose loved ones will be deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. We are pleased that the Idaho National Guard will be providing family support training sessions to help prepare them for the deployment. We have always supported efforts to ensure our military men and women have the resources they need to carry out and complete their missions successfully. The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team is home to some of the nation’s finest, and we know they are trained and prepared for their upcoming mission. We wish them success and look forward to welcoming each of them home.”