GREENSBORO, N.C. — Law enforcement agencies across the state have contributed bulletproof vests to a National Guard brigade that's deploying to the Middle East.

The nearly 1,500 vests will go to the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade of the N.C. National Guard. They'll be used to line the floorboards or door panels of their vehicles. Most of the vests have expired warranties from the manufacturers, so the soldiers won't wear them.

Captain Robert Carver of the North Carolina National Guard says another 300 ceramic plates, which are used in some vests, also were donated.

Members of the Clinton-based brigade were called to active duty in October as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The brigade, which has five-thousand members from North Carolina and other states, has been training since last fall and began going to the Middle East last week.

The unit is a heavy armor brigade equipped to fight a state-of-the-art mechanized battle.