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Michigan Guard Soldiers Deploy To Liberia

Other episodes in this series: 
IPR News Features
Date: 
January 5, 2012

By Rick Pluta

As thousands of Michigan troops are preparing to return from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, a small group of Michigan National Guard soldiers departs tonight for a year-long tour of duty in Liberia in northwest Africa.

The 25 soldiers will help train the fledgling Liberian military, says Captain Corissa Barton of the Michigan National Guard.

"They're just coming out of a civil war," she says of the African nation. "The whole country has been war-torn for years. They are extremely low as far as poverty goes, and it's important that they build a democracy and build a military force to defend themselves."

Barton says the training will cover everything from basic soldiering skills to engineering and military police work.

The Michigan Guard was assigned Liberia as a partner by the U.S. military as part of a project to establish closer ties with emerging national governments.

Guard soldiers being deployed come from units all across Michigan.

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Hi Lamii--thanks for the

Submitted by Rick Pluta (not verified) on January 7, 2012 - 10:10am.
Hi Lamii--thanks for the feedback. We always love to hear from our listeners. In response to your comment: "...just coming out of a civil war" was what Capt.Barton said. Obviously, that's a subjective statement. There was a 2003 peace deal, but that has not wholly put an end to the violence or entirely restored stability. It is one of the reasons they need a better-trained military. While Liberia is on the southern coast of the western horn of Africa, it is still in the northern half of the continent. That is strictly a geographic, not a cultural, observation. Thanks again. We are really glad to hear from you! -rick pluta

Inaccurate fact

Submitted by Lamii Kpargoi (not verified) on January 6, 2012 - 10:03am.
The war ended in Liberia over 8 years ago. I don't think, by any standard, 8 years can be termed as just coming out of the civil war. And Liberia is on the southwest coast of Africa, not northwest Africa.

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