RELEASED BY:Lt Col. Greg Hapgood

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER
OFFICE:   (515) 252-4582
CELL:       (515) 971-6385
HOME:     (515) 986-5725

RELEASE: IMMEDIATE

JOHNSTON, IOWA…
 

COMMUNITY SENDOFF CEREMONY SCHEDULED FOR IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD UNIT

A community sendoff ceremony for an Iowa Army National Guard unit mobilized as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom will be held at noon on Sunday, June 4, at the Joint Forces Headquarters (formerly known as STARC Armory), Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. Local officials and Iowa National Guard leadership will participate, and the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend the sendoff ceremony.

Approximately 80 Soldiers have been mobilized from the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1034th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. These soldiers are ordered to active duty for 18 months. The DOD mobilization policy directs mobilized National Guard and Reserve members to remain in the Central Command (CENTCOM) theater of operations for 12 months. The DOD anticipates the Soldiers will serve on active duty for approximately 15 months total, which will include mobilization and demobilization processing in addition to 12 months in theater.

Based at Camp Dodge, the unit’s mission is to command and control logistics units to provide support in an area of operations. Logistical support could include transportation, maintenance, water purification and distribution, and fuel distribution.

For questions concerning this news release as well as additional information about the operations, training, and activities of the Iowa Army and Air National Guard, please contact Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood, Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Officer by e-mail at gregory.hapgood@ia.ngb.army.mil or (515) 252-4582 (office), (515) 971-6385 (cell), (515) 986-5725 (home), or Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden at duff.mcfadden@ia.ngb.army.mil or (515) 252-4666.

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