Statewide Iowa (RI) — Around 250 Iowa National Guard soldiers who have been deployed in the Middle East were welcomed home in ceremonies Wednesday in Sioux City and Des Moines.
59 of the soldiers from the Second Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division who were in Syria and Iraq landed in Sioux City.
First Sergeant Cole Cooley from Spencer was happy to finally be back in Iowa.
Cooley serves with the 194th Field Artillery and was in Iraq since July.
Sergeant Cooley says it was emotional to get back after two Iowa Guard soldiers were killed in a terror attack in Syria.
Cooley says he is looking forward to reconnecting with two members of his family he couldn’t talk to while he was overseas.
Two other groups of soldiers returned to Des Moines. This is the first phase of the return of some 1,800 soldiers who have been deployed.
KIWA Staff Photo
