The leader of the Iowa National Guard is asking businesses to be understanding as more reservists are called to active duty. Adjutant General Ron Dardis says Iowans should expect more guardsmen and women to serve stateside. Dardis says the Guard will have a key role in the new “homeland defense” iniative as nearly 500 Army and Air National Guard soliders are providing security. Dardis says Iowa’s Guard is one of 27 state units to have a special team to respond to chemical or biological attacks. Fifty-eight Iowa Guard troops are now on duty providing security at eight Iowa airports. Dardis says security’s been stepped up at the 115 Iowa Air and Army National Guard units around the state as part of the “homeland defense” initiative. One-hundred-27 members of an air control squadron in Fort Dodge have been activated to work on a radar project and provide radar
coverage for the Midwest. And about 150 security police men and women are standing guard now at Iowa Air Guard facilities in Des Moines and Sioux City.