A soldier from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division provides covering fire during a squad dismount gunnery at Udairi range complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 10, 2014 as part of Operation Spartan Shield

MANCHESTER — More than 300 New Hampshire Army National Guard soldiers are heading to the Middle East as part of Operation Spartan Shield.

Members of the 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment will take part in a deployment ceremony at 2 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Southern New Hampshire University Field House in Manchester.

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen will be joined by other elected officials to see them off.

Operation Spartan Shield is an ongoing U.S. Army training mission. The battalion will conduct artillery-focused training engagements with allied nations.

This is the first time a National Guard field artillery battalion has been activated to support the mission. The battalion will report to Fort Bliss, Texas, in February for training before deploying overseas.

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