DES MOINES — Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn have concluded a five-day visit with Iowa National Guard Soldiers and Airmen deployed across the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
The visit took the delegation to Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait, where they met with deployed service members and reinforced Iowa’s commitment to the nearly 1,800 Iowa National Guard members currently serving throughout the region.
“It was an honor to visit our deployed Soldiers and Airmen in the Middle East and personally thank them for their service on behalf of a grateful state,” Reynolds said. “I am incredibly impressed and proud of the Iowa National Guard’s vital contributions to this global mission.”
Maj. Gen. Osborn echoed those sentiments, highlighting the professionalism and dedication of Iowa Guard members serving far from home.
“Seeing our Soldiers and Airmen reinforces why this mission matters,” Osborn said. “Across the region, they are executing with professionalism, precision, and purpose. Their dedication demonstrates the very best of our force and the critical role we play in protecting regional stability and our national security.”
The trip began at Al Tanf Garrison in Syria, where Reynolds and Osborn met with Soldiers from Task Force Armadillo, part of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. During the visit, Reynolds presented a Purple Heart to an Iowa Soldier wounded during the Dec. 13 attack that claimed the lives of two Iowa National Guardsmen. The Governor also administered the oath of reenlistment to two Soldiers while deployed.
In Jordan, the delegation visited a deployed medical team from the 185th Air Refueling Wing, including Lt. Col. Niles, who was previously recognized by Reynolds during her Condition of the State address. The Airmen provided critical medical care to casualties following the Dec. 13 attack.
The delegation then traveled to Erbil, Iraq, where they met with Soldiers from Task Force Guardian, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. Leaders received operational briefings and discussed ongoing mission accomplishments. Reynolds also reenlisted an Iowa Soldier while in Erbil.
The final stops included Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Buehring in Kuwait. At Ali Al Salem, members of Detachment 6, 641st Operational Support Airlift Command, briefed leaders on aviation operations across the region. Individually deployed Airmen from the 185th Air Refueling Wing also discussed their specialized roles supporting air missions.
At Camp Buehring, Reynolds and Osborn met with Soldiers from Task Force Nyala and Task Force Redleg, thanking them for their continued professionalism and operational support of regional security efforts.
Throughout the visit, state leaders emphasized Iowa pride, service before self, and the strong connection between deployed Guard members and the families and communities they represent back home.
