PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Friends and loved ones of 160 soldiers said their goodbyes Wednesday as the National Guard members prepared for a one-year deployment overseas.
The unit will first head to Fort Bliss in Texas for a month of training before they're sent to Afghanistan.
Family members told CBS 5 News they'll miss the soldiers but are very proud of them.
"It's special and great when he comes home. I just want him to stay safe, keep his head down and hope to have a good reunion when he comes home and have a successful mission," said Maj. Mike Sandoval, whose son deployed Wednesday.
The soldiers will be supporting engineer operations in Afghanistan.
Those jobs will include construction of roads and helicopter pads and building tank ditches.
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