Iowa’s Condition of the Guard addresses Operation Lone Star, recruitment challenges
In his first Condition of the Guard speech, Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Osborn spoke Thursday about the continuing recruiting challenges facing the the Iowa National Guard.
Osborn, who Gov. Kim Reynolds named as the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard last February following the retirement of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Corell, thanked the Iowa Legislature for providing more than $16.6 million in funding for infrastructure and more than $6.4 million in service scholarships supporting 988 soldiers and airmen.
Here's what else he had to say:
A familiar problem — recruiting falls off since pandemic
Although the National Guard has seen improvements since the COVID-19 era, the Guard still faces an echoing problem of recruitment.
“Since late 2021, however, our recruiting success has slowed, and we are dealing with the challenges that are being felt across the Department of Defense in respect to military recruiting,” Osborn said.
“But as we continue to maneuver through this environment, we have experienced improvements over the last quarter, and we will continue to apply effort, energy, and resources to our recruiting and personnel readiness.”
Operation Lone Star
Osborn spoke about the Iowa National Guard's largest domestic operation in 2023, which was sending 109 soldiers to Texas in support of “Operation Lone Star."
Reynolds announced in May 2023 she would send the troops to the border in response to a request for assistance from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. She was one of at least half a dozen Republican governors around the country to send personnel to the border to support the operation.
The 109 soldiers were tasked with "deterring illegal border crossings and preventing the trafficking of illegal substances by cartels through Texas," Reynolds had said.
Breaking ground in 2023
Osborne also added other accomplishments the Iowa National Guard has seen, such as the completion of a $13 million federal renovation of the air crew operations building for the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City.
Another major milestone the National Guard faced was breaking ground in West Des Moines for their weekend training.
The $24 million facility, 75% of which was funded by the federal government, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2025, Osborn said. The facility will have capacity for over 200 soldiers, their vehicles and their equipment.
Looking ahead to the future
Although there is plenty to look forward to, the Iowa National Guard’s priorities are focused on the multi-million-dollar capital improvements needed for a runway and ramp at the Sioux City Gateway Airport and the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Osborn said.
“Without these improvements we are at risk of losing the air refueling mission in Sioux City and being overlooked for future aeronautical missions,” Osborn said.
Reynolds, along with the governors from Nebraska and South Dakota, collectively signed a letter of support during the 2023 Tri-State Governor’s Conference for the Sioux City runway replacement, Osborn said.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa National Guard adjutant general addresses recruiting challenges
