DAVENPORT UNIT RECEIVES MOBILIZATION ORDERS

Approximately 75 Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company and Company B, First of the 171st Aviation Regiment in Davenport, Iowa, recently received deployment orders for Operation Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve in U.S. Central Command. Soldiers from two detachment units in the Minnesota National Guard will also deploy alongside these Iowa National Guard Soldiers. Central Command encompasses 27 countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

The company will depart from the state in early 2021. Their primary mission will be to conduct aviation sustainment operations such as refueling and maintenance in support of U.S. and coalition forces.

The unit was most recently deployed to Afghanistan in 2016 in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Many of the citizen Soldiers have been preparing for the last year. In 2019 Soldiers supported the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, during the Exportable Combat Training Capability at Camp Ripley, Minnesota.

The unit is currently working to schedule a send-off ceremony, which will be announced at a later date.