(Fort Dodge)– The Department of Defense announced today (Tues.) the Iowa Army National Guard’s First Battalion, 194th Field Artillery is being called to active duty. The unit was placed on alert last week.
Colonel Robert King says 350 field artillery officers and soldiers are affected. They’ve been ordered to report to their local armories this Saturday, August 24th. The battalion will actually enter active duty on Tuesday, September 3rd. They’ll report to Fort Knox, Kentucky and will be deployed to unannounced locations from there for homeland security missions as part of Operation Noble Eagle Two.
King says 14 of the soldiers will return to their home armories after being processed at Fort Knox. They’ll oversee the continued local operations of the guard.
King says send-off ceremonies are being planned at each armory. Details of those will be released soon.
The First Battalion 194th Field Artillery was last ordered to federal active duty in 1950 during the Korean War.
