14th Combat Support Hospital Prepares to deploy to Iraq

More than 300 soldiers from the 14th Combat Support Hospital bid farewell to their loved ones Thursday morning during a pre-deployment ceremony on Fort Benning.

The unit, which will depart for Iraq early next week, will conduct a broad range of combat health support operations at theater internment facilities in three locations. They will provide health care to detainees, coalition forces and other authorized beneficiaries as an integrated component of Multi-National Forces-Iraq Operations Task Force.

The unit deployed to Afghanistan in support of Combined Joint Task Force-76 and the International Security Assistance Force-Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in September 2005. Before that, the unit deployed to New Orleans to assist in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.