Their tour extended by President Bush's troop buildup

Small Town Struggles to Deal With Guardsmen's Extended Iraq Tour

By the time winter gave way to spring, the Minnesota National Guard was supposed to be back from war. But guard members from small towns such as Crookston, Goodridge and Fergus Falls are still patrolling Iraq, their tour extended by President Bush's troop buildup. When they finally return this summer, they will have been gone nearly two years, one of the longest stints of any guard unit since September 11, 2001.