AUGUSTA – A group of about 80 Maine Army National Guard soldiers was scheduled to leave this morning for an 18-month deployment to Afghanistan.

An official send-off ceremony for the 240th Engineer Group, based in Augusta, was planned for the Augusta Armory on Western Avenue. The event, open to the public, was expected to last about 20 minutes before soldiers bid goodbye to their families and departed.

Scheduled to speak were Gov. John Baldacci, U.S. Rep. Thomas Allen, National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. John W. Libby, Maine National Guard Assistant Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Robert G. Carmichael Jr., and unit commander Lt. Col. Leslie N. Swartz.

The ceremony was to include a presentation of the state flag to the unit.

The mission of the 240th Engineer Group is to provide command, control and supervision for engineer battalions. Most of the unit’s members are from central Maine, though some soldiers from Bangor, Caribou, Ellsworth and other parts of the state will deploy under its command.

After leaving Maine, the unit is scheduled to travel to Camp Atterbury, Ind., to receive further training as part of the mobilization process.

Less than two weeks ago, another Maine Army National Guard unit was deployed for 18 months to Iraq. A group of 170 soldiers left Jan. 12 to conduct security force operations in Iraq, deploying under the command of the Brewer-based B Company, 3rd Battalion of the 172nd Mountain Infantry.