(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City was the site of one of the Iowa National Guard sendoff ceremonies on Wednesday. Eighty-four soldiers with 113th Cavalry are headed to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Staff Sergeant Nery Ortiz says they will be involved in base defense and have undergone training for that mission. “I think the medics went to a certain advanced course stuff for them and other people went to drone courses. So they were showing them about how the drones work, how they can be dangerous or can be friendly and then different types of weapon systems that we have to take them down,” Ortiz says. This will be his second deployment, and he knows it will be difficult for his family while he is away.

“It’s a roller coaster of emotions for them. They’re proud that I serve, but they’re also sad that I’m gonna be gone. And I mean they had a little taste of it when I went to Kosovo. But right now it’s just another it’s a new mission, I guess for them,” he says. Kari Lara is a mom who has two sons serving their country. “It’s always hard. This is the fourth one for my family, so it doesn’t get any easier,” Lara says. “The first one was Afghanistan in 2010 and then 2020, I had one in Kosovo and one in Africa. And then this time I have one going overseas again.” Lara has this advice for families going through a deployment for the first time.

IANG send-off ceremony in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. (5/28/25; Photo via IA Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Facebook page)

“Just take it one day at a time and wait for that communication. You’ll always hear from them. It’s way better now than it used to be. The Africa deployment we heard from him, like every week. So, just keep that close to you,” she says. More sendoffs are scheduled today (Thursday) and tomorrow.