THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997              TAG: 9702090096
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: DANVILLE                          LENGTH:   23 lines

GUARD UNIT LEAVES EARLY ON BOSNIA MISSION

A Virginia National Guard unit from Danville is departing a week earlier than expected for a mission to Bosnia.

The 46-man divisional field artillery unit will leave today for Fort Benning, Ga., where it will be trained before leaving for Europe. The unit was originally scheduled to leave on Feb. 16.

The men are leaving early because the European command is requiring that the unit be in Germany on Feb. 15 for training exercises, said Maj. Tom Wilkinson, a spokesman for the guard in Richmond.

The unit - Detachment 1, 1st Battalion, 246th Field Artillery (Fire Support Element) - will probably head for Bosnia by the end of February, he said.

At a farewell ceremony today, Gov. George Allen is expected to present a Virginia flag for the unit to fly in Bosnia.