Iowa — Around 160 soldiers from the Iowa National Guard’s 1133rd Transportation Company are going to be sent to Europe. And 15-20 soldiers from the 2168th Transportation Company based in Sheldon are going along. The 1133rd soldiers are from Mason City and Iowa City.
The 1133rd and the volunteers from the 2168th will eventually deploy to Poland in support of Operation European Assure, Deter, and Reinforce. Staff Sergeant Duane Parizek has been in the Iowa National Guard for 16 years, and nine years ago, the unit he was assigned to deployed to Afghanistan.
The 1133rd was used to haul supplies during the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A sendoff was scheduled for Sunday in Mason City. The soldiers will first go to Texas to prepare for the trip.
