More yellow ribbons were hung this weekend across the state as two more Illinois National Guard units were activated under Operation Desert Shield.

The 233rd Military Police unit of Springfield and the 1644th transportation unit from Rock Falls left Saturday after an active week spent at their home bases preparing for departure.

The most recent figure on the number of U.S. troops called to active duty is estimated at 450,000. Five NIU students are on that list. Six hundred Illinois National Guard members have now been called up, said National Guard Public Affairs Director Lt. Col. Don Kunzweiler.

President George Bush has doubled the military service time for activated reservists to the maximum 180 days allowed by federal law, Kunzweiler said. This means the units that left this weekend might not be home until summer.

DeKalb teachers, children and others have kept a steady flow of mail streaming to the soldiers already in the Persian Gulf snce August. Video Plus, 854 Lincoln Hwy., is sponsoring a city wide letter-writing campaign that has sent nearly 500 letters a month to U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia since the crisis began.

Through January, the video store is paying the postage on all mail brought into the store to be mailed to soldiers.

Local schools have been good about keeping the letters coming, said Video Plus manager Kim O’Neal.

Those who wish to send letters to Illinois troops can bring their letters to Video Plus. Addresses for the station post of specific Illinois units are available there.