Head of Iowa National Guard says overseas demands declining

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Overseas service requirements for the Iowa National Guard continue to decline, the head of the unit said Thursday.

Major General Timothy Orr addressed the Iowa General Assembly with the annual "Condition of the Guard" address. Orr said they currently have about 150 soldiers and airmen deployed around the world. Thousands have served in combat and combat support roles over the past 13 years in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Since the large brigade-level deployment in Iowa in 2010-2011, we've seen a significant decline in the demand for Iowa National Guard forces," Orr said. He said the current number deployed is "the lowest number of deployed service members from the Iowa National Guard since the start of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom."

Orr said 18 guard members who were wounded in service have received medical care over the past year, but just two are currently still receiving treatment.

The U.S. combat role in Afghanistan has ended after 13 years, though some troops remain in the country with the authorization to attack the Taliban if there is a threat to U.S. military personnel.

Orr said the guard is focused on training to prepare for military duties and emergency response in the state. That includes sending airmen to Air Force schools for technology training. While an F-16 fighter jet was removed from Des Moines in September, Orr said missions continue at the air base.

The state did not face many emergency situations in 2014, but Orr said the guard used the time to "plan, prepare and exercise for potential disaster response support on a variety of scenarios." Those preparations included working on tornado response plans and recently on developing a response system for cyber security.

There are about 9,200 National Guard soldiers and airmen in Iowa.