Deployment Called Off For Arkansas Soldiers

(AP) - About 3,000 Arkansas National Guard soldiers who had been preparing for a deployment to Afghanistan have learned they are no longer scheduled to go.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Friday that director of the Army National Guard told the 39th Infantry Brigade that the deployment has been called off.

Arkansas National Guard spokesman Sgt. 1st Class Chris A. Durney says he's happy the troops will have the chance to stay home and be with their families.

The 39th Infantry Brigade has been deployed to Iraq twice in the last eight years.

Though the scheduled deployment has been called off, the unit will remain in the Army's available pool of units for overseas missions through October.