More than 600 soldiers and airmen from the Tennessee National Guard are staged or preparing to deploy to the Gulf Coast to offer support after Hurricane Gustav.

Units currently deployed, according to a National Guard news release, include:

* 118th Aero Medical Evacuation Squadron, Tennessee Air National Guard, Nashville, deployed to Lackland AFB, Texas, for assistance in evacuating hospitals in Beaumont.

* 45th Civil Support Team, Smyrna, staged in Vicksburg, Miss., to support the Louisiana National Guard.

* Six (6) OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters and crews from 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron, Smyrna, staged in Meridian, Miss., to conduct security and reconnaissance missions.

* Six (6) UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and crews from 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron, Smyrna, staged in Meridian, Miss., to conduct security and reconnaissance missions.

* 228th Combat Communications Squadron, Tennessee Air National Guard, Knoxville, deployed to Camp Beauregard, La., to provide a satellite communications hub in support of the Louisiana National Guard.

* 230th Signal Company, Tennessee Army National Guard, Nashville, to Alexandria, La., to provide Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC) in support of the Louisiana National Guard.

* On standby at Camp Shelby, Miss., 500 soldiers from the Tennessee Army National Guard's 2/278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, headquartered in Cookeville are prepared to deploy if needed.

* More than 350 soldiers and airmen have been on duty within the state providing command and control of the above listed units and assisting with the more than 4,000 organized evacuees within the state.