There has been no change in the 1-117th Field Artillery Battalion’s 2012 deployment orders, said Major Ashley Ryan Little.

The deployment will have the group of 500 soldiers joining the newest set of local veterans. Little, who confirmed the deployment announcement in August, said plans have changed slightly, but not enough that it will make a difference for those set to deploy.

“The date has shifted slightly to the right, but it’s not enough to be of any significance,” Little said of the August deployment date.

“What we do know is that we’re still sourced to go to Afghanistan, though it doesn’t look like we’ll take everyone,” Little said. “We haven’t been told what we’ll be doing, but plans can always change.”

Little said guard members, who include those from Andalusia, Greenville, Troy, Phenix City and Elba, train throughout the year as a field artillery unit on the M777A2 weapons system.

If sent, this would be the unit’s third deployment. In 2005, the Bravo Battery unit performed transportation missions, and in 2006, the headquarters battery from Andalusia performed a security mission.

Little said previously, this deployment could be the battalion’s largest deployment to date.