A group of 100 Waterloo-based Iowa Army National Guard soldiers are part of a 500-soldier force from four states — including 390 from Iowa — being deployed to provide aviation support for the U.S. Central Command in the Middle East.
It is the largest overseas deployment since more than 3,300 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers, including the Waterloo-headquartered 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry regiment, were deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, Guard officials said. The battalion’s mission is to provide aviation maintenance and logistical support to a combat aviation brigade, which includes aircraft diagnostics, repair, maintenance, refueling, medical support, supply support activities, ground maintenance and testing
A sendoff for the 100 to-be-deployed Waterloo soldiers is set for 2 p.m. Sept. 29 at the West Gymnasium on the University of Northern Iowa campus.