Local soldiers train for deployment

More than 4,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers are in Fort Polk, Louisiana, at the Joint Readiness Training Center, undergoing one of the Army’s most demanding combat training events in preparation for an upcoming overseas deployment for 1,800 of them.

Within this group of soldiers are countless men and women known locally, having grown up in Southwest Iowa.

From infantry Second Lieutenant Hank Looney, a 2019 Creston graduate, to vehicle mechanic Specialist Conner Fitzgerald, a 2022 Lenox graduate, a piece of rural Iowa is headed for the Middle East later this year.

But first, they must prepare to support Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. military operation for the intervention against ISIS, including the campaigns in Iraq and Syria.

Training

Brigadier General Derek Adams serves as the land component commander of the Iowa Army National Guard and the senior trainer for this rotation of the JRTC.

“This training is the best and most difficult the army has to offer,” Adams said. “If you train on the most difficult scenarios against the toughest adversary, you’re prepared to do any operation that would be called upon for the for the unit.”

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division, also known as the “Red Bulls,” is based out of Boone. It includes battalions based out of Red Oak, Council Bluffs, Johnston, Waterloo, Fort Dodge and Cedar Rapids.

“The 2nd Brigade Combat Team in the 34th Infantry Division, after the first week or so of the exercise, is doing a phenomenal job,” Adams said. “They were assisted by the 734th Regional Support Group of the Iowa National Guard in their reception and staging, here at Fort Johnson getting prepared to conduct combat operations in a training environment.”

Fort Johnson was the name used for the Army base since 2022, honoring William Henry Johnson, a World War I Medal of Honor recipient from North Carolina. On June 11, the base was reverted to its original name of Fort Polk, named for Confederate General James H. Polk.

The Army is transitioning from the counterinsurgency operations of the past two decades to large-scale combat operations. LSCO prepares soldiers for potential conflicts with near-peer adversaries by emphasizing large-scale maneuvers, complex logistics and sustained combat power.

“LSCO changes sustainment operations sheerly in the magnitude of what occurs,” said Col. Tony Smithhart, commander of the 734th Regional Support Group. “You’re talking about large numbers of Soldiers, large numbers of equipment.”

On June 7, JRTC soldiers entered “the box,” a demanding field environment that simulates real-world combat. During those 14 days, they faced harsh conditions and rigorous training, ultimately emerging more prepared for their upcoming mobilization.

Local soldiers

Lisa Sawtelle has been through this before with her son Hank Looney as this will be his second deployment. He signed up for the National Guard his senior year at Creston High School and was off to basic training two weeks after graduation.

Now an officer, Looney drills out of Council Bluffs, a part of the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment.

“When Hank graduated, I think there were six that were going into different branches, and there was a blue star moms Facebook group that was started,” Sawtelle said. “It was a great way to have support during basic and deployment. We have become more active on the page again and added more moms to the group with this deployment.”

One way the community is identifiable is through their attire, specifically on Fridays.

“RED Friday stands for Remember Everyone Deployed,” Sawtelle explained. “Wearing red on Fridays shows our support for all branches of military that are currently deployed. For me, it’s a way to not only honor those who are deployed, but also shows them how much support at home there is for what they are doing.”

Conner Fitzgerald’s mom Tamara shares the sentiment as her son enters his first deployment.

“I participate to honor Conner and all the soldiers that go to battle for our freedom,” she said. “I’m proud of my son, and it helps me feel closer to him while he is away. I tell myself every day, just pray and trust God. He’s got them.”

Fitzgerald has been enlisted for four years and is based out of Red Oak. This deployment is anticipated to be one year long.

While the RED Friday movement doesn’t require more than wearing something red on Fridays, these area moms and other family members decided they wanted something special to honor their loved ones.

When Sawtelle bumped into Dee Benson, another area military mom, Benson said they should get special shirts for this deployment. They asked Ashli Peterson at Rustic Graphic Creations in Creston if she could maybe get 25 shirts together for the send off the following week.

Peterson ended up closing the shop one morning to ensure she could get 150 shirts out so everyone could wear them to the send off the following day.

The shirts feature an American flag. Replacing one of the stripes is “Remember Everyone Deployed,” and another is replaced by “Operation Inherent Resolve.”

Red Friday originated in 2006 in Canada before being brought to the United States.