More than 250 Minnesota National Guard airmen and soldiers are currently serving in and around the Middle East as regional fighting intensifies, the state Guard confirmed Monday. Those personnel are on regularly scheduled deployments, but they now find themselves operating in the same U.S. Central Command theater where U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have sparked retaliatory attacks and American casualties. Families in Duluth, Marshall, and Stillwater, home to several of the deployed units, say they are following developments from the region with mounting concern.
Who From Minnesota Is There
The Minnesota National Guard told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS it has "more than 250 personnel currently serving on regularly scheduled deployments in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility," Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, the state's public affairs officer, said, according to KSTP. Tsuchiya said the airmen and soldiers include members of Duluth’s 148th Fighter Wing, the Marshall-based 1-151 Artillery, and the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company. While the Guard would not disclose specific duty locations, it said missions and assignments vary across the CENTCOM area.
U.S. Casualties And The Bigger Picture
U.S. Central Command has confirmed that American forces have taken casualties in the opening days of the strikes. In an update, U.S. Central Command said, "As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury," and it said it would withhold names until next‑of‑kin notifications are complete. That acknowledgement marked the first confirmed U.S. combat fatalities tied to the campaign.
Regional Strikes And The Risk To Aircraft
The conflict has played out across multiple countries and in a chaotic fashion. International outlets reported an apparent friendly‑fire incident in Kuwait in which U.S. aircraft were brought down, but crews survived, and emergency groups in Iran say hundreds of people have been killed in the strikes. As The Guardian noted, reports about casualties and damaged infrastructure vary as officials sort through the pace of operations and the fog of war. All of that is reshaping the risk environment for Minnesota troops who are serving on routine rotations.
Homefront Reaction
Local coverage has tried to map which Minnesota units are overseas and what their missions look like. The Pioneer Press reported that some Minnesota citizen‑soldiers are on regular CENTCOM rotations and noted the Duluth, Marshall, and Stillwater units among those cited. Community support groups and unit family readiness networks say they are preparing to field calls and help relatives cope with sudden, worrying headlines. Elected officials locally have urged residents to rely on official briefings for confirmed information, rather than getting swept up in fast‑moving speculation.
What Families Should Expect
CENTCOM said it will withhold the names of the fallen until 24 hours after next‑of‑kin notifications, a standard practice during active operations, according to U.S. Central Command. The Minnesota National Guard has asked communities to rely on official public‑affairs channels for confirmed information and reminded residents that "these Airmen and Soldiers...are grateful for the strong support of those back home," as the state public affairs office told KSTP.
The situation remains fluid, and details could change as military and local officials sort through developments. Minnesota families with loved ones in the Guard are watching for updates from unit public affairs and national commands, and local outlets and official channels remain the best sources for confirmed information as events unfold.
