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234th Signal Battalion

Provide command and control to all units within the 234th Signal Battalion to insure they are prepared to perform their federal and state missions, and to insure these units add value to local communities by participating in programs at local, state and national level.

If a long-term lease can be worked out for 8 acres of land, the Iowa National Guard will build a new $19 million armory at The Eastern Iowa Airport. The $3 million first phase of the project could begin as early as 2002. Guard leaders say the Guard has outgrown the nearly 40-year-old Armory on airport property at 10400 18th St. SW. They estimate the building is 20,000 square feet too small for the uses already required. The Guard has closed two armories in western Iowa during the last year and is looking at closing three more in the state. Some 464 Iowa National Guard troops are assigned to Guard units based in Cedar Rapids, including 39 full-time personnel. The Guard spent $4.77 million locally last year -- $2.57 million in training pay and the rest in pay for full-timers. Those operations include the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 234th Signal Battalion; Company A of the 244th Signal Battalion; Company B of the 334th Forward Support Battalion; and Detachment 1, 2168th Transportation Company and Organizational Maintenance Shop.

On March 15, 2003 the 234th Signal Battalion was mobilized to deploy to Southwest Asia to support operations against Iraq. The unit arrived in Kuwait on June 13, 2003 and entered Iraq on or about July 9, 2003. The unit is deployed with roughly 600 soldiers and is currently attached to the 22nd Signal Brigade near Balad. According to the Army's rotation schedule, the unit is not planned to return to the United States until June 2004.

An email is making the rounds that attempts to highlight the positive elements of U.S. military efforts in Iraq. Sgt. Ray Reynolds exists, and Sgt. Reynolds confirms he wrote the email. The e-mail message is authentic, altough various reviewers have pointed to mistakes of fact in the e-mail message.