BARTONVILLE, Ill. – Nearly 275 soldiers from the Illinois National Guard have returned home from a deployment in the Middle East.
Their return was the day after around the same number of soldiers returned to Chicago-Rockford International Airport.
25 News reports the members of 1-178 Infantry and Co. B, 766 Brigade Engineer Battalion were deployed in June of last year in support of Operation Spartan Shield. A news release stated they were based at 17 locations across seven countries, with most of the soldiers stationed in Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
According to the release, the unit’s mission was to protect U.S. forces, their allies and assets during “hostile international engagements.”
While overseas, a dozen soldiers were said to have graduated from the Air Assault course, five from the Pathfinder course and seven graduated from the Basic Leadership course.
The 1/178th Infantry Regiment is headquartered in Chicago with units based in Bartonville, Elgin, Kankakee and Woodstock.
Company B is based at the Marseilles Training Center in LaSalle County.
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