1-186th Infantry Regiment welcomed home after Egypt deployment
MEDFORD,
Ore. – Nearly 200 Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the
1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment were formally welcomed home Jan.
11 during a demobilization ceremony at South Medford High School.
The
ceremony, presided over by Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewold, Oregon's adjutant
general, honored the unit's nine-month deployment to Egypt's Sinai
Peninsula as part of the Multinational Force and Observers mission.
"Welcome home," Gronewold said. "Those two words carry the weight of nearly a year of service, sacrifice, and separation."
The
205-soldier battalion, designated USBATT 74 during the deployment,
served alongside military forces from 14 other nations supervising the
implementation of security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of
Peace.
"In a
region marked by volatility and tension, you stood watch. You maintained
peace. You prevented violations of that historic treaty," Gronewold
said. "You represented not just Oregon, not just the United States, but
the cause of peace itself."
Lt.
Col. Joshua Rapp, battalion commander, said the mission provided
security for two camps in the Sinai while operating remote observation
sites monitoring key routes and airfields between Egypt and Israel.
"We
observed military aircraft, vehicles, and equipment to ensure that both
countries were abiding by what is directed in the peace treaty," Rapp
said.
The
deployment tested the unit during a period of heightened regional
tensions. The battalion faced a three-month lockdown period when MFO
bases were identified as potential targets during conflicts in the
region.
"There
was about a 48 to 72-hour period where we were in full combat equipment
for 24 hours a day, other than sleeping," Rapp said. "We had to be
inside a hardened building, we had to be in our full kit, even to go eat
chow."
Despite operational challenges, Rapp emphasized the mission's unique aspects, particularly the multinational integration.
"What
I would say the best thing about it was the level of multinational
integration and the fact that we were working so closely with all our
partners," Rapp said. "There were 15 nations, including us, that we
worked with on a daily basis."
The
battalion worked most closely with forces from Fiji, Colombia,
Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Uruguay, and Japan, participating in
combined training exercises and sporting tournaments that built
international relationships.
The
deployment also provided extensive training opportunities. Soldiers
conducted air insertion training, aeromedical evacuation exercises,
range time, and leadership courses, often integrated with multinational
partners.
"The 1-186th Infantry really went above and beyond to train throughout the whole deployment," Rapp said.
Command Sgt. Maj. Evan Garner emphasized the unit's growth during the deployment.
"The
battalion did come back stronger," Garner said. "There was a multitude
of opportunities for soldiers to train both within our units and
battalions and then cross-train between nations. We worked with 15
different national partners over there and spent many, many hours and
days learning about what they do and teaching them what we do also, so
we have a better knowledge across the board of operations."
Garner emphasized the teaching opportunities soldiers gained.
"Our
soldiers got a chance to improve their abilities as teachers, not just
of United States soldiers, but soldiers from different countries and
other groups," he said.
For
many soldiers, the mission offered unique leisure opportunities
uncommon in most deployments. Service members became certified scuba
divers and participated in organized duty tours to Egyptian landmarks
including the pyramids, Luxor, and Mount Sinai.
"My
message to the soldiers and families is first off and most importantly,
thank you," Garner said. "Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for
your service and thank you for being there for each other. The greatest
thing about 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry is that we're a family, and
the family is what makes us able to do this mission."
Garner also emphasized the importance of maintaining connections during the transition home.
"Be
patient. Know that things have changed while we're gone, and just work
together as a team within your family," Garner said. "Reach out to your
soldiers. Since we were there 24/7 around everybody, I know it becomes
more of a challenge once we get home, but reach out. It could be a call,
it could be a text, a stop by—all of that matters and just shows that
we continue to care and be there for our buddies."
The
battalion was mobilized Oct. 20, 2024, during a ceremony in Ashland and
returned to Oregon on Oct. 3, 2025. Approximately 150 soldiers returned
to Medford while about 50 service members arrived in Portland.
While
most soldiers came from the 1-186th Infantry Regiment based in Southern
Oregon, the deployment also included National Guard members from the
2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment and other Guard units across
multiple states for specialized positions.
"This
deployment to Egypt adds another distinguished chapter to that
legacy—one that future generations of Oregon Guardsmen will look to with
pride," Gronewold said.
The
1-186th Infantry Regiment previously mobilized for the 2021
Presidential Inauguration security mission in Washington, D.C., Oregon's
COVID-19 response, and overseas operations in the Horn of Africa from
2019-2020, in Afghanistan from 2014-2015, and in Iraq from 2009-2010.
Gronewold concluded the ceremony by acknowledging the families who supported the deployed soldiers.
"To
the spouses, parents, children, and loved ones who held down the home
front while these Soldiers served overseas—your strength and resilience
made this mission possible," Gronewold said. "Thank you for your service
to Oregon and to our nation."
Released
B-Roll and interview
video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video...
Released Photos:
260111-Z-ZJ128-1001
Oregon
Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 186th
Infantry Regiment stand in formation during a demobilization ceremony at
South Medford High School in Medford, Oregon, Jan. 11, 2026. Nearly 200
soldiers were honored for their nine-month deployment to Egypt's Sinai
Peninsula, where they served as USBATT 74 with the Multinational Force
and Observers mission, supervising implementation of security provisions
of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace. (U.S. Army National Guard
photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
260111-Z-ZJ128-1002 Lt.
Col. Joshua Rapp, left, commander of the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry
Regiment, and Command Sgt. Maj. Evan Garner render honors during the
national anthem at a demobilization ceremony at South Medford High
School in Medford, Oregon, Jan. 11, 2026. The battalion returned in
October from a nine-month deployment to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, where
they served as USBATT 74 with the Multinational Force and Observers
mission. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon
National Guard Public Affairs)
260111-Z-ZJ128-1003
Brig.
Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, the adjutant general of the Oregon National
Guard, delivers remarks during a demobilization ceremony for the 1st
Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment at South Medford High School in
Medford, Oregon, Jan. 11, 2026. Nearly 200 Oregon soldiers were formally
welcomed home following their deployment to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula
where they served as USBATT 74 with the Multinational Force and
Observers mission, supervising implementation of security provisions of
the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by
Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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