THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SAYS THE FINAL FIVE SOLDIERS DEPLOYED TO THE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND MISSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST HAVE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES.
THE SOLDIERS, ASSIGNED TO DETACHMENT 6, 2ND BATTALION, 641ST AVIATION REGIMENT RECENTLY RETURNED TO THE U.S. AFTER SUPPORTING OPERATION SPARTAN SHIELD IN THE CENTCOM AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
THEIR RETURN SIGNIFIES THAT ALL IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS WHO DEPLOYED TO THE REGION HAVE NOW SAFELY RETURNED HOME.
THESE RETURNING SOLDIERS ARE ASSIGNED TO THE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT AIRLIFT COMMAND, A SPECIALIZED AVIATION ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE U.S. ARMY RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING HIGH-PRIORITY, SHORT-NOTICE AIR TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONNEL AND CARGO.
MAJ. GEN. STEPHEN OSBORN, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF IOWA, SAYS THE RETURN OF THESE SOLDIERS MARKS THE CONCLUSION OF A SIGNIFICANT CHAPTER OF SERVICE FOR THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
HE SAYS OUR SOLDIERS DEMONSTRATED TREMENDOUS ADAPTABILITY AND PROFESSIONALISM WHILE OPERATING IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND EVOLVING REGION.
A FORMAL RECOGNITION CEREMONY HONORING THESE SOLDIERS WILL BE HELD AT A LATER DATE.
