DENVER (AP) – National Guard soldiers from Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah are deploying to Fort Meade, Maryland, as part of a cyber protection team supporting U.S. military operations in Afghanistan.

The Colorado guard said Thursday Cyber Protection Team 174 will help the Defense Department with network security and cyber defensive operations.

The deployment will last a year.

The team’s assignment is to help commanders operate freely in the cyber domain as well as on the ground while denying adversaries that ability.

The Colorado National Guard will hold a departure ceremony on Friday.