As about 100 soldiers from the Albert Lea unit of the Minnesota Army National Guard prepare for a deployment overseas in May, local Delta Company leaders are looking to develop a network of community support for soldiers and their families.

During the Albert Lea City Council’s workshop Thursday, leaders of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division approached council members to discuss developing a formal program for supporting military families.

Known as Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, the program encourages members of the community to offer simple acts of service toward military members and their families.

Capt. Samuel Andrews, commander of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, said when soldiers are deployed — and they know that the community is watching out for their families — they are better able to focus on their tasks and not become distracted on a mission.

Support can include simple acts such as shoveling a driveway, baby-sitting or even offering a kind word, depending on the need, Andrews said.

“It’s the community taking care of the community,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Dahlen of the Delta Company.

The support continues when military members are at home, too.

Minnesota National Guard officials hosted a working breakfast at the Albert Lea National Guard Armory in April 2010 about the program for area employers, city and county officials, school leaders, law enforcement and others.

At that time, the workshop challenged attendees to support military families and ultimately become a Yellow Ribbon City.

To become a Yellow Ribbon City, a community must develop a sustainable action plan for supporting military families throughout the deployment cycle. The plan is ultimately submitted to a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon committee and then given to the governor for approval.

National Guard leaders brought the issue to the council Thursday to remind them of this goal.

The Minnesota National Guard announced in January that 2,400 soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, which is headquartered in Mankato, will be deployed for one year in support of Operation New Dawn.

Operation New Dawn is the name of the U.S. drawdown phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The soldiers will leave May 22, first heading to pre-deployment training at Fort McCoy, Wis., before shipping out overseas to Kuwait. Their mission is to provide base and convoy security as the United States begins its drawdown of troops in Iraq.