Ill. National Guard unit's mission called off

NORTH RIVERSIDE — The Illinois Army National Guard says a suburban Chicago medical unit that had been training for a yearlong stay in Kuwait won't go because of the Army's drawdown of troops in Iraq.

The guard says the North Riverside-based 710th Area Support Medical Company had been training for several months. The 75 soldiers were scheduled to head to Kuwait in November to help support operations in Iraq.

Maj. Gen. William Enyart is the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. He says the soldiers' families are undoubtedly relieved by the news but some soldiers are disappointed.

Enyart says the soldiers spent considerable time and energy getting ready to deploy.