Le Mars soldiers called up to assist at inauguration

About 85 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers based in Le Mars will be heading to Washington D.C. to assist at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration Jan. 20.

These troops are among 1,000 soldiers and airmen from the Iowa Army and Air National Guard and 6,000 from at least seven other states that were called upon Friday to assist federal, state and local agencies with support missions for the inauguration.

Estimates of people participating in the inauguration are growing, as are the operational requirements of the event in the nation's capital.

According to the Iowa National Guard report, the soldiers will likely serve about 10 days, including preparations and travel. Duties will include transportation and crowd management at the inauguration, traffic control, managing the people entering and exiting the event and supporting personnel.

Along with the Le Mars group, Iowa Army and Air National Guard units will also be activated from Boone, Carroll, Des Moines, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Davenport, Council Bluffs, Denison, Red Oak and Shenandoah.

The National Guard soldiers from across the nation will also supplement security, communications, medical evacuation and other support during the period around the presidential inauguration.

The mission is still developing.