EDEN PRAIRIE, Minnesota — Families are preparing to say goodbye to their loved ones for 10 months as 550 Minnesota National Guard members are deploying to the Middle East. They says they've known about the deployment for years and the soldiers will be there to provide support for fighting ISIS.
The 34th Infantry Division, known as the "Red Bulls," will be heading to Texas for training before heading overseas to Kuwait. According to Minnesota Guard leaders, their objective of providing leadership, command and planning for future exercises for Operation Spartan Shield while they also increase partner nations’ military capacity and security across the Middle East.
"I am extremely proud of our Red Bull Soldiers, and I know they will continue to add to the division’s rich history,” said Army Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, Minnesota National Guard’s Adjutant General. “Red Bulls have defended our state and nation for more than 100 years, and this deployment will assist our allies and partners in building security in the region."
At the soldier ceremony Thursday, Governor Tim Walz addressed families by thanking them for their sacrifice, too.
"To the families, I hear the beautiful voices of the children. Those are the sons and daughters that are going to miss a birthday, miss an Easter, not going to see a first step. But they are going to know that their warrior is doing the work to secure the world for them," Walz said.
This includes Ricky Pheng-Phang, who has a 3-month-old baby boy with his wife, Maichoua.
"Surprisingly, I am very anxious for this deployment. I have deployed before when I was single and now, I have a family. Anxiety level is higher," Pheng-Phang said.
Recently, a U.S. base in Jordan was attacked by what the government believes was an Iran-backed Islamic militant group.
The division’s headquarters’ most recent deployments include Kuwait from 2018-2019 in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Iraq from 2009-2010, leading the Multi-national Division-South to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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