Statewide Iowa (RI) — The Iowa National Guard is planning welcome home ceremonies in Des Moines and Sioux City for soldiers returning from deployment overseas.
Information from the National Guard says around 250 soldiers assigned to the Second Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division arrived back in the U.S. this weekend as part of a phased return. The soldiers are part of a group of some 1,800 who were involved in Operation Inherent Resolve working with coalition and regional partners to significantly reduce the capabilities of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
The National Guard says welcome home ceremonies will take place in the next two weeks. Other soldiers remain deployed and will return once they are no longer needed and transportation is available.
Two Iowa Guard soldiers on the deployment were killed. Staff Sergeants Nathaniel “Nate” Howard and Edgar Torres-Tovar were killed in Syria in December by an attacker who targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces.
KIWA Staff Photo
