More than a thousand people have attended a church service in American Samoa to farewell 40 reservists who are heading for Iraq at the end of the month.
The 411th Battalion, which also includes reservists from Hawaii and Alaska will serve in Iraq for a year.
In address at the service, the Governor, Togiola Tulafono told the reservists that their mission was peace, but that they should not be lulled into complacency.
He warned the group to always look after themselves.