By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – 300 airmen assigned to the 187th Fighter Wing are heading to the Middle East Thursday. The Alabama Air National Guard unit is based at Montgomery's Dannelly Field. The unit will be deployed to several undisclosed locations in the Middle East. Unit spokesman Major Paul Griggs says all 300 are volunteers and will serve about 50 days on active duty. He also says the unit will provide both military and humanitarian support for Operation Iraqi Freedom.