Alexandria Based Minnesota National Guard Unit to Celebrate Homecoming on Sunday

(KNSI) — The Minnesota National Guard says approximately 65 soldiers from an Alexandria based unit are having a homecoming celebration this weekend.

The Minnesota National Guard’s C Battery, 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery Regiment, will celebrate their return to Minnesota on Sunday. The group returned in late July after a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve. According to a press release, the soldiers provided security in support of critical military infrastructure and personnel using the Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS), which intercepted enemy rockets, artillery, and mortar attacks.

The welcome home ceremony will be held at the Alexandria Training and Community Center, 310 Broadway St. Alexandria, Minn., at 1 p.m. on November 21, 2021.

“I cannot thank the Soldiers enough for their dedication and hard work throughout the deployment. Their professionalism and stellar performance left a lasting mark on our counterparts at all locations and continued the exemplary legacy of the Red Bull Division,” said Army Capt. Tom Bowers, C Battery Commander.

The Alexandria-based unit has soldiers from more than 60 Minnesota communities.

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