RELEASED BY: LT. COL. GREG HAPGOOD
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER
OFFICE: (515) 252-4582
CELL: (515) 971-6385
HOME: (515) 986-5725

RELEASE: IMMEDIATE 

HOMECOMING CEREMONIES SCHEDULED FOR TWO IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD UNITS

Community homecoming ceremonies for two Iowa Army National Guard units mobilized as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom will be held Wednesday, April 30, at Camp Dodge, Denison and Sioux City. Local officials and Iowa National Guard leadership will participate and the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend the homecoming ceremonies.
 

Denison -Company D, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry
 

11 a.m. at the Crawford County Fairgrounds Speedway, Highway 39, Denison, Iowa. In case of inclement weather, the alternate site is the Denison High School gymnasium, 819 N. 16th Street, Denison.
 

For those interested in lining the homecoming route, the buses will travel via Highway 30 west and then onto Highway 59 north. From there, they will turn onto Highway 39 east to the Crawford County Fairgrounds.
 

Camp Dodge (Johnston) -Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry
 

11 a.m. at the Camp Dodge Parade Grounds. In case of inclement weather, the alternate site is the 734th Maintenance Armory, 7105 N.W. 70th Avenue, Johnston (directly adjacent to the Camp Dodge main gate)..
 

Sioux City -Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry
 

2 p.m. at the Sioux City Armory, 3200 2nd Mech Drive, Sioux City, Iowa.
 

For those interested in lining the homecoming route, the buses will travel south on US-75, before turning onto South US-75BR. They will then travel onto Lewis Blvd., onto 8th St., and then onto 2nd Mech Drive enroute to the Armory.
 

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Approximately 120 Soldiers were mobilized from Co. D, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, based in Denison. The unit’s core mission is to conduct close combat with enemy forces and provide security of key terrain, facilities, and installations. Members of this unit previously deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom February 2004 to June 2005.
 

Approximately 120 Soldiers were also mobilized from Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, based at Camp Dodge (Johnston) and Sioux City. The unit performs reconnaissance and surveillance missions to assist commanders in planning and executing combat operations. This unit was last deployed in support of peacekeeping operations in Kosovo September 2003 to September 2004.
 

Both of these units were mobilized in May 2007 and departed Iowa in June 2007, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism. They traveled to Camp Shelby, Miss. for additional training and preparation before assignment to the Central Command theater of operations, where both units served in the Baghdad, Iraq area.
 

For questions concerning this 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 email at gregory.hapgood@ia.ngb.army.mil or (515) 252-4582 (office), (515) 971-6385 (cell), or (515) 986-5725 (home) or 1st Sgt. Duff E. McFadden at duff.mcfadden@ia.ngb.army.mil or (515) 252-4666 (office), (515) 480-7647 (cell).

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