The Tama American Legion Family

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

Welcome Home, Soldiers!

After months of dedicated service overseas, the final major group of Iowa National Guard Soldiers is returning home! 🎉

On Saturday, May 30, approximately 200 Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, will return to Iowa from deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, where they served alongside coalition and regional partners in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

The public is invited to join us in welcoming home 45 Soldiers during a ceremony at the Iowa National Guard Armory in Council Bluffs:

Iowa National Guard Armory, Council Bluffs
🕛 Ceremony Begins 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2026
📍 2415 E Kanesville Blvd, Council Bluffs, IA 51503

A separate ceremony honoring 135 Soldiers will be held at the 132d Air Wing in Des Moines. Due to airport security requirements, the Des Moines ceremony is for friends and family only:

132d Air Wing, Des Moines
🕛 Ceremony Begins 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2026
📍 3100 McKinley Ave, Des Moines, Iowa 50321

As we celebrate the return of these Soldiers, we also keep the 5 Soldiers who are still supporting this mission with the Operational Support Airlift Command and the nearly 200 Iowa National Guard Airmen currently deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury in our thoughts.

Welcome home, Soldiers. Iowa is proud of you. 🇺🇸

05/24/2026

On behalf of the Tama American Legion Family and the Tama-Toledo VFW, thank you to everyone who came out for our Memorial Day Services today at Sheridan, Maple Grove, and Maple Hill Cemeteries.

We are grateful for each person who took time out of their day to stand with us in remembrance of the men and women who served our country and have now gone before us. Your presence matters. It helps keep their memory alive, and it reminds their families that their service and sacrifice have not been forgotten.

A special thank you to the students from South Tama Schools who took part in today’s services. Seeing our young people involved in honoring our veterans means a great deal. It shows that remembrance is being passed on to the next generation.

Thank you also to everyone who helped make today’s services possible, including the Honor Guard, Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, volunteers, speakers, musicians, and all those who helped with planning, setup, and support.

Memorial Day is more than a date on the calendar. It is a promise to remember. Thank you for helping our community keep that promise.

05/21/2026

With Memorial Day approaching, we are reminded that each fold of a flag holds meaning. The final fold however, the one right before the flag is cradled and handed to a grieving family, says what words cannot.

We pause in silence for the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. We honor their memory, their families, and the weight of every fold that tells their story.

We will never forget.

05/20/2026

Thank you, Mr. Carnahan, for being a mentor to these young musicians. Taps is more than a song played at military funerals and Memorial Day services. It is a final tribute, a moment of respect, and a reminder of the sacrifice made by those who served. For veterans and their families, those notes carry a meaning that words often cannot. By teaching young musicians to play Taps with care and respect, you are helping pass on an important part of our military tradition and our shared legacy.

As Memorial Day approaches the High School trumpet players had a lesson in how to perform Taps. Mr. Carnahan explained the story behind the bugle call as well as the importance and honor to be asked to play it at burials and services. “I always tell students who are asked to play Taps that this is the single highest honor to be asked of you.”, says Carnahan.

Junior Josiah Houghton and STC grad Maeley Elsbury will be playing Taps at area Memorial Day services on Sunday and Monday.

05/19/2026

All available Legion members, Sons, and Auxiliary members are encouraged to attend a special planning meeting this Wednesday, May 20, at 6:00 PM.

We will begin planning for MSGT Steinback’s fundraising event, which will be held on July 18.

We have exactly two months to pull this together, and we’ll need everyone’s help. We’ll be discussing events, auction donations, food, marketing and advertising, volunteer needs, and anything else needed to make this fundraiser a success.

Please make plans to attend if you are available. We hope to see everyone this Wednesday at 6:00 PM.