Iowa Guard members heartened by news

Iowa National Guard soldiers in Afghanistan have been heartened not only by the death of Osama bin Laden but also by young Americans' reaction to the historic event.

Soldiers watching the American Forces Network, “seeing the young people outside of the White House chanting, clapping and cheering,” brings “a renewed spirit to our soldiers” and helps them see “the American people are still behind them,” said the leadership team of Company C, the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry based in Waterloo.

First Lt. Jason Boesen of Ankeny and Sgt. 1st Class Chris Clausen of Ida Grove, in a joint statement issued Monday, said the Iowa Guard soldiers “are extremely proud of the dedicated and precise special operations forces who carried out the task” of killing bin Laden in a highly fortified Pakistan compound.

The soldiers of Company C “feel revalidated, and it legitimizes our tough task of deploying away from our family, knowing that the No. 1 terrorist in the world is dead,” Boesen and Clausen said.

No Iowa Guard troops were involved in the operation, according to Major Mike Wunn, the Guard's spokesman in Afghanistan.

Speaking in the absence of Col. Ben Corell, commander of the Iowa Guard troops deployed with Task Force Red Bull in Afghanistan, who is on leave, Wunn said the Iowa soldiers are encouraged by the completion of an extremely difficult mission that had been in progress for 10 years.

Although al-Qaida retaliation attempts are expected around the world, Wunn said that prospect won't affect the Iowa troops' readiness level.

“Our forces are already at a heightened force protection posture because of the spring offensive and in anticipation of continued insurgent operations. We expect to remain at a heightened level of alert for the foreseeable future and will take additional precautions where needed,” Wunn said.

The good news of bin Laden's demise is tempered “by the reality of the work that remains here in Afghanistan for our Red Bull soldiers and coalition partners,” he said.

Besides working with Afghan security forces to help secure the population, build confidence in the Afghan government and help foster development, Iowa Guard troops are working closely with the forces that will replace them later this summer, Wunn said.