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On Saturday, more than 550 soldiers of the Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division “Red Bulls” and their family members will attend a Family Preparation Academy in preparation for their 10-month-long deployment to the Middle East.

“I am extremely proud of our Red Bull Soldiers, and I know they will continue to add to the division’s long and storied history,” said Army Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, Minnesota National Guard’s Adjutant General. “Red Bulls have defended our state and nation for more than 100 years, and this deployment will assist our allies and partners in building security in the region.”

The deploying soldiers come from more than 200 communities throughout Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, and several other states. At least one soldier is from Albert Lea, though the total has not been able to be verified. As part of a regularly scheduled deployment, they are departing in early February and expected to return home from the deployment in December 2024.

“The 34th Infantry Division Headquarters commands and controls Task Force Spartan from Kuwait, which is deployed across seven partner nations,” said Army Maj. Gen. Charles Kemper, 34th Infantry Division Commander. “As part of Operation Spartan Shield, we work with like-minded nations to reassure our partners, build interoperability, increase the capacity through combined exercises, and to deter malign influences in the region.”

The Arden Hills-based 34th Infantry Division Headquarters provides training and readiness oversight for nine National Guard brigades with more than 27,000 soldiers across Minnesota and 29 other states.

The division’s headquarters’ most recent deployments include Kuwait from 2018-2019 in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Iraq from 2009-2010, leading the multi-national Division-South to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After a month of post-mobilization training at Fort Cavasos, Texas, the Red Bulls will arrive in Kuwait and provide leadership, command and planning for future exercises for Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. They will build partner nations’ military capacity across the Middle East, promoting regional self-reliance and increased security. The Red Bulls will be responsible for operations across seven countries.