Le Mars Iowa Army Guard Soldiers return from deployment

  • Published
  • By SMSgt. Vincent De Groot
  • 185th ARW Wing PA
Le Mars, Iowa --  

Soldiers from the Le Mars, Iowa based C-Troop 1-113th Cavalry of the Iowa Army National Guard returned home this week after a 10-month deployment to the Horn of Africa.

The group of nearly 90 soldiers landed at the Iowa Air National Guard facility in Sioux City where they had a formal welcome home ceremony before loading on buses for the short 30 minute trip north to Le Mars.

Located in Iowa’s far northwest corner, people from Le Mars and surrounding communities held signs and waved flags on a brisk April afternoon. The parade of buses made their way through town where well-wishers met them along the way. The group eventually made their way to the National Guard armory for a long awaited reunion with their families.

The contingency of returning soldiers also included a small group of soldiers from the 1/168 Infantry Regiment from Council Bluffs. These soldiers had been deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Over the course of the past few weeks more than 600 deployed Army Guard Soldiers from Iowa returned to the Hawkeye State following lengthy deployments. The majority of these soldiers were from the 133rd Infantry Battalion based in eastern Iowa communities of Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Davenport.

The group from Le Mars is the final group of deployed Iowa Guard soldiers to arrive home as communities from around the state celebrate the return of their Soldiers.

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