SMYRNA, Tenn. – More than 50 members of the Tennessee National Guard’s 208th Medical Company (Area Support) are set to deploy, Dec. 6, following a departure ceremony at Smyrna’s Volunteer Training Site. The ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. and is expected to last about one hour.

The 208th, which is based in Smyrna, is comprised of medical professionals covering a wide range of specialties to include combat medics, dentists, physicians, and behavioral health specialists. They will be deploying to five different countries within the Middle East region and providing treatment to patients suffering from disease and injuries as well as providing initial resuscitation, stabilization, and advanced trauma life support.

“We have an excellent team of medical professionals here in the 208th,” said Maj. Heather Real, 208th Commander. “We’ve been blessed with incredible leaders that are eager to learn and grow. I’m really proud of all they have accomplished to this point and I’m confident in their abilities as we head overseas.”

The 208th will be flying to Fort Hood, Texas, following the ceremony for additional mobilization training before deploying to the Middle East.

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Media interested in attending the event must RSVP by calling (615)313-0662 or email Darrin.w.haas.mil@army.mil. Escorts will meet media members at the VTS-Smyrna entry gate no later than 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 6. Imagery of the event will be available at http://www.dvidshub.net following the ceremony.

All Tennessee Army and Air National Guard press releases can be found at https://www.tn.gov/military/news.html