Organization of Troops: The first Camp Dodge troops were drafted for the National Army from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. Later they were supplemented by drafted men from Missouri and Nebraska. Troops arrived on base the 5th of September 1917. When arriving at Camp Dodge, many of the new troops had no conception of military life and were in for many new experiences. The 88th Division history book claims:“the first impressions were not reassuring nor comforting.” The organization of these units was as follows:

Training: Soldiers went through a physical examination, settled into barracks and began training exercises almost immediately. The days were filled with physical training, marching drills, and studying manuals.

"Training for warfare.....the daily routine of a soldier at Camp Dodge"(Grover 1987)

View of officer training soldiers to sight in their weapons.

Warfare in France: The first units of the 88th Division embarked for overseas battlefields on August 9, 1918; the last units arrived in France September 7, 1918. Upon arrival in France the division (less artillery) was ordered to the 21st Training Area with headquarters established at Semur (Coe d'Or). On September 14th the division was placed under the command of the Seventh French Army and moved by rail to the Hericourt Training area (Haute-Saone) near Belfort. For administrative purposes alone the division was under the 7th American Corps with headquarters at Rediremont. On September 23, 1918, the division relieved the 38th French Division in the Center Sector, Haute Alsace, with Headquarters established at Montreux Chateau on October 7th . It held this sector until November 3, 1918, when it became a part of the 2nd American Army. One brigade was placed in reserve of the 4th Corps, the remainder of the division being in Army reserve with headquarters at Lagney. On November 29th the division moved by marching to the First Training area at Condrecourt (Meuse). On April 15, 1919 the division was transferred to the 1st Army. Then on April 25th it passed to the command of the Commanding General, S.O.S. Preparatory to its return to the United States, Division Headquarters sailed from St. Mazaire on May 21, 1919 and arrived at Newport News on June 1, 1919.

The most widely issued weapon during that time was the .30 caliber US Model 1917 Enfield bolt-action rifle. Pictured here.

In order to keep the forces in Europe adequately supplied many soldiers were transferred to other military camps during this time. Waves of Camp Dodge soldiers transferred to the 34th Division at Camp Cody, New Mexico; the 33rd Division at Camp Logan, Houston, Texas; and to Camp Pike in Arkansas.

The following table from Lost Poets of The Great War website helps put the "cost" of WWI into perspective presenting the number of deaths occurring from each country.

	45,550		Belgium
	942,135		British Empire
	1,368,000		France
	23,098		Greece
	680,000		Italy
	1,344		Japan
	3,000		Montenegro
	8,145		Portugal
	300,000		Romania
	1,700,000		Russia
	45,000		Serbia
	116,516		United States
	1,200,000		Austria-Hungary
	87,495		Bulgaria
	1,935,000		Germany
	725,000		Ottoman Empire
	9,180,283		Total	As reference, Iowa's current population is approximately: 2,936,000

At the end of WWI, 1,550 Iowa men died from combat, 1,890 Iowa men died of disease, 140 Iowa men died of accidents.