JOINT FORCE HEADQUARTERS–DES MOINES, IA (27 April, 2026) – The Iowa National Guard will host a welcome home ceremony this Thursday in Cedar Rapids to honor 107 Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, returning from deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The Soldiers are part of a recent group of 145 who have safely returned to the United States following their mission in the Middle East, where they served alongside coalition and regional partners to reduce the capabilities of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Ceremony Details:
2:00 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Armory
1500 Wright Brothers Blvd W
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Due to the complexity of redeployment and travel logistics, not all Soldiers from this returning group will arrive together. Some Soldiers are being individually ticketed to other locations and will reunite with their families outside of a formal ceremony setting. The Iowa National Guard recognizes and appreciates the importance of every Soldier’s return—whether in front of a crowd or in a quiet moment at home. Each reunion represents the successful completion of a mission and the safe return of our service members.
A Guard spokesperson says “As we welcome these Soldiers home, we continue to keep the more than 300 Iowa National Guard Soldiers still deployed in the Middle East in our thoughts and prayers as they carry out their mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Help us give our hometown heroes the powerful welcome home they have earned.”
