MASHANTUCKET, Conn. — Saturday marked a historic moment in Connecticut as family, friends and state officials gathered to send off more than 600 Connecticut National Guard soldiers.

The men and women from the 1st Regiment, 102nd Infantry Battalion and the 643rd Military Police Company are deploying overseas to multiple locations, and Saturday's send off recognized one of the biggest deployment groups the Connecticut National Guard has sent out in years.

The service members were joined on Saturday to be thanked and prayed over by state officials, including Lieutenant Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.

"When you send out the national guard, you call out the best of us. When you call out the Connecticut National Guard, you call out the best of America," Bysiewicz said.

Those soldiers lined up on S

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