Major General Timothy Orr, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard, recently updated the Legislature on why the Iowa Guard is recognized as one of the strongest Guard programs in the United States.
This year, overseas deployments have been scaled back, bringing many of our service members home to Iowa. That’s provided the Guard a chance to plan for potential disaster response support in a number of different scenarios.
That training was invaluable during December’s blizzard, when Guard members conducted Highway Assistance Team missions in partnership with the Iowa Departments of Transportation and Public Safety. The teams rescued nearly a dozen travelers and responded to a fatal 25-car pileup on Interstate 35.
The Guard continues to be ready to answer the call to duty, whether it is overseas or here at home. Thank you to all who serve and sacrifice to protect our state and country.