About 1,900 members of the Iowa Army National Guard, including soldiers of the Fort Dodge based Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery, are currently on active duty in the Middle East.

The families of some of those soldiers were honored guests at the Veterans Day observance held at the Fort Dodge Middle School, 800 N. 32nd St. A large screen above the stage in the auditorium showed a continuous flow of photos of the unit’s departure ceremony last spring and some photos of the soldiers training for their overseas mission.

Lt. Col. George Mosby, who was assigned to the Fort Dodge unit early in his career, defined the meaning of Veterans Day for the audience, which included about 200 sixth graders.

“Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the generations who stood watch for freedom, often in times of uncertainty, always with courage and commitment,” said Mosby, who is now the deputy chief of staff of the Iowa Army National Guard.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Iowa Army National Guard Lt. Col. George Mosby gives a speech during the Veterans Day observance at Fort Dodge Middle School on Tuesday.

“Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who gave their lives in service, Veterans Day recognizes all who have served, past and present, living and deceased, who have worn the cloth of our nation,” he added. “It is a day to say thank you to those who have stood ready to defend liberty, preserve peace and protect the ideals that define America.”

Mosby was the officer in charge of the Fort Dodge unit from 2014 to 2017. He said Fort Dodge “gave me the chance to develop and to cut my teeth as a young field grade officer.”

Fort Dodge, he said, has always supported the military and veterans. The most visible sign of that support, he said, is the Albert Habhab Veterans Memorial Bridge on First Avenue South. Named after a former mayor who was a World War II veteran, the bridge’s lamposts bear the emblems of the various branches of the armed forces, plus red, white and blue lighting.

“What a remarkable site that is,” Mosby said.

He said the Iowa troops now in the Middle East are conducting operations vital to stability and peace in that region.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Kallista Gilbert, 13, of Fort Dodge, plays Taps during the raising of the rlag during Veterans Day at Fort Dodge Middle School on Tuesday.

After the ceremony, he said “They’re doing amazing work. They’re making Iowa proud. They represent the country very well.”

Early in the observance, Tom Dorsey, the master of ceremonies, described how Armistice Day, held to commemorate the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918, evolved into today’s Veterans Day.

The Fort Dodge Middle School Band played the national anthem. The Rev. Gabe Casciato, a retired Air Force officer, gave the invocation.

The event concluded with the playing of Taps and a rifle salute by the honor guard from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1856. The first volley produced some screams from the assembled sixth graders.