Air Guard unit still on schedule for Iraq mission

The 185th fighter wing of the Iowa Air National Guard in Sioux City is preparing to go on active duty, but not in the new fight against terrorism. Guard spokesman, Colonel Robert King, says they’ll participate in the ongoing mission in Southwest Asia and have been scheduled to fly the mission for several months.King says 200 air guard members and several F-16 fighter planes will patrol the southern “No-Fly” zone in Iraq. King is confident that mission won’t change to another assignment.King says missions to Iraq have become quite common for Iowa’s two air guard fighter units from Sioux City and Des Moines.Colonel King says the only Iowa Guard unit called to active duty for the fight against terrorism is the 133rd air support squadron from Fort Dodge.The 185th will leave for southwest Asia in a couple of months.