3,400 members of the Indiana National Guard's 76th Brigade Combat Team will be heading to the Middle East.
The soldiers were told they will either be heading to Iraq or Afghanistan sometime next year.
This will be the second tour for some of the soldiers.
One unit recently got back from training Iraqi security forces.
The alert order aims to give soldiers a chance to prepare their families and inform their employers.
Members of Indiana's National Guard Prepare for Departure