The Iowa National Guard honored approximately 120 soldiers headed to Washington, D.C., in a deployment send-off ceremony.
The July 10 private event offered families the opportunity to honor their loved ones and say goodbye before they departed for duty.
Members of the 1034th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion are headed to D.C. in support of America250 and Freedom250 events, as well as to provide additional safety and security to tourists and residents alike. They will spend six months there under the direction of the District of Columbia National Guard, according to Major General Stephen Osborn, Adjutant General of Iowa.
Soldiers’ families gathered inside an empty hangar at the 132nd Wing in Des Moines in the sticky mid-morning heat. Engines roared past outside and a large American flag affixed to the wall fluttered in the breeze.
While the energy in the room was tense, the occasional laugh floated up above the crowd. Kids chased each other around in the sunshine on the tarmac while they waited for the event to begin.
Enthusiastic chatter quieted and rambunctious children stilled as the soldiers began to file in, one by one.
In seemingly no time at all, members of the Iowa National Guard filled the hangar. They didn’t look nervous, nor unflinchingly stoic; they just looked proud.
The soldiers stood, surrounded by loved ones, as Iowa National Guard Director of Public Affairs Jackie Schmillen’s rendition of the National Anthem rose and fell. They listened keenly to their commander in chief, Governor Kim Reynolds, wishing them well on their mission.
“Soldiers, as you head into deployment, know that you represent the best of our state and of our country,” Reynolds said. “You carry with you the deeply rooted tradition of honor and valor for which the Iowa National Guard is known and respected, and you carry the pride of the state and the prayers of your fellow Iowans.”
State Chaplain Martha Kester then said a short prayer for the soldiers, asking God to protect them in their deployment to the nation’s capital.
After the speeches concluded, soldiers were given 10 minutes to break ranks and say their goodbyes to any loved ones in the crowd. Then, it was time to ship out.
Families pushed up against barricades set up just outside the hangar doors. They watched as the soldiers strode single file across the tarmac, where a Sun Country jet sat awaiting their arrival. Before each soldier boarded the plane, Reynolds and Congressman Zach Nunn shook their hands and wished them well on their mission.
While the deployment is domestic, Osborn says it’s still an important opportunity for the young men and women of Iowa’s National Guard.
“Any time our soldiers leave to do their mission, what they sign up to do, protect our communities, protect our state, protect our nation, we owe it to them and their families to send them off and wish them well,” Osborn said. “I think they’re going to gain some great experience. It’s an opportunity for them to do what they signed up to do.”
Norah Judson is a reporter for the Register. Reach her at njudson@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa National Guard honored in ceremony before deployment to D.C.
Reporting by Norah Judson, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Norah Judson, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
