COLCHESTER, Vt. (AP) – Two companies of a Vermont Army National Guard tank battalion were called to active duty on Friday and will begin training at the end of the month for a mission that may well involve Iraq.

About 125 soldiers from companies of the first battalion of the 172nd Armor Regiment are being mobilized to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. The companies are based in Enosburg and Lyndonville.

National Guard Major Gen. Martha Rainville said an additional 397 soldiers in the battalion also were mobilized, but were not given specific assignments.

“I think what it indicates is the planning is not complete but they want us to know it’s coming,” Rainville said.

The 125 soldiers called to active duty will be serving as part of brigade combat teams. Rainville said that would be a different mission from the security assignments that other Vermont troops have been called on to perform.

“The brigade combat team’s overall mission is to provide stability and security for the area of operations,” she said. “That really could mean anything, depending on what’s going on in that area and what the commander deems necessary.”

Lt. Col. Mark Lovejoy, commander of the troops involved, said they had been given a broader assignment than some of the Vermonters previously deployed.

“There could be the slew of what a brigade combat team could do, such as attack, defend,” Lovejoy said. “We don’t know what the specifics of what the mission that this motorized armor company would receive with this brigade combat team at this time.”

The soldiers will report for duty on Nov. 29 and by Dec. 2 will travel to Fort Bliss, Texas, and Camp Selby, Miss., for training before being sent overseas.

Earlier this month another 600 Vermont guard members were called to active duty. However, guard officials say those soldiers probably will not be headed to Iraq.

There are currently about 850 Vermont National Guard soldiers on active duty. With the latest call up about 26 percent of the guard’s soldiers will be deployed as part of the global war on terrorism.

Of the total, 200 already are in Iraq and 50 more are headed there, Rainville said.