Local News

Nearly 200 Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment were formally welcomed home Sunday during a demobilization ceremony at South Medford High School.

The ceremony, presided over by Brigadier General 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.