NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A total of 125 Western New York National Guardsmen are on their way to Puerto Rico, flying out of the Niagara Air Falls Reserve Thursday morning.

Members of the 152nd Engineer Company are en route to Puerto Rico to provide relief after Hurricane Maria. It is unknown how long the company will be on the island.

Their mission includes clearing roads, helping to re-establish communications services and provide relief for other New York-based crews already on location.

For Specialist Anthony Nappa and many others in the 152nd Company, this is their first relief deployment.

"I'm excited to help. I feel like throughout my lifetime I have acquired a lot of life skills and tools that are really gonna be useful down there,” Nappa said.