INDIANAPOLIS — More than 400 Indiana National Guard troops with the 38th Infantry Division are back home in the Hoosier State after a successful, nearly year-long mission supporting Operation Spartan Shield in the Middle East.
The National Guard Soldiers landed at the Indianapolis International Airport and were greeted by family and friends.
Maj. Gen. Dan Degelow, the 38th Infantry Division commanding general, led about 600 division Soldiers during the deployment. He thanked them for their hard work, dedication and professionalism in a July ceremony overseas.
“You are an all-volunteer force of warriors. When we started our journey together, I asked three things of each of you: safety, professional development and self-improvement,” Degelow said. “At every critical moment, you delivered a superb performance. I am just so very thankful for each one of you. Many of you were placed in assignments that challenged you and developed your skills as a Soldier.”
While deployed, the Indiana National Guard members provided command and control of combat forces in the theater and helped strengthen defense partnerships.
The 38th Infantry Division Soldiers conducted 15 exercises and planned several more during their deployment from October 2024 to July. The security cooperation and engagement exercises included field training exercises, command post exercises, deployment readiness exercises and combined arms live-fire exercises.
The exercises and joint conferences enhanced the U.S. military's ability to integrate combat formations and build warfighting readiness alongside regional partners, reinforcing the strength and interoperability of allied forces.
Now home, the division Soldiers can turn the page to the next chapter in their lives as they settle back into civilian life with their family and loved ones.