The Pentagon has put the 411th Engineer Combat Battalion, of which the American Samoa Reserve is a part, on alert that they might be sent to Iraq next year.
Lieutenant Colonel Jonathon Wung, who commands the battalion, told the Honolulu Advertiser that units in Alaska, American Samoa and Guam would also be deployed if the section was called up.
An American Samoa army reserve official said they were awaiting the word from headquarters, but the soldiers have been in training for months in preparation for the call-up.
In smaller island nations, the departure of many professionals, who are reservists, is expected to have a great impact on the communities and their workplaces.
