Mich soldiers ship out to Afghanistan

PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) - Though President Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed an agreement solidifying a timetable for US withdrawal, more than 350 Michigan soldiers shipped out Saturday for the region.

The 507th Battalion, made up of engineers throughout Michigan, will make their second deployment to Afghanistan. Their loved ones bid them farewell at a ceremony in the Portage High School gymnasium.

"It's a significant transitiion period in the global war on terrorism and Operation Enduring Freedom," said Battalion Commander William Meyer. "We're a part of the historic moment where we're transitioning the security of Afghanistan over to the Afghan National Security Forces."

The troops will head to Fort Bliss for a month to train for their mission -- finding and removing explosives along the road.

"I'm going to write a lot of letters, I'm going to talk to him on the computer," said Laurie Wolford, the mother of one soldier. "I'll send him care packages, pictures, everything, and I hope he'll do the same."

They're scheduled for a 9-month deployment.