There are 1800 Iowa National Guard Soldiers currently in Louisiana at Fort Polk for an annual training.  They are in their JRTC, Joint Readiness Training Center Cycle, which is a premier training according to Jackie Schmillen, Director of Public Affairs with the Iowa National Guard.

Schmillen says they are gearing up to mobilize out to the Middle East which has been the plan for a few years.

She says even with recent events across the world, the mission has not changed, but things can always evolve and change.  Schmillen gives a timeline of when soldiers will be heading oversees.

Nearly 4000 soldiers will be heading to the Middle East for Operation Inherent Resolve and about 1800 are from Iowa.

Zach Tomesch, News Director KFJB