JUNE 28, 2026 – The last of 500 New York National Guard Soldiers who deployed to the Middle East with the headquarters of the 42nd Infantry Division returned to New York from their deployment at the beginning of June.
The Soldiers mobilized at the end of May 2025 to serve as the command headquarters for Task Force Spartan, the Army’s 10,000-Soldier force in the region.
The New York National Guard Soldiers were deployed in this role when President Donald Trump decided to launch hostilities against Iran under the code name Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28.
Maj. Gen. Jack James, the commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, furled the division’s colors during a June 6 ceremony in the region. James’ command element was the last part of the headquarters to return to the United States. Command of Task Force Spartan was turned over to the Texas Army National Guard’s 36th Infantry Division.
Soldiers had been returning from the Middle East back to New York for more than two months prior to James’ final handover of command to the Texas National Guard.
The original mission for the 42nd Division headquarters Soldiers was to focus on exercises with regional allies, such as Operation Brightstar in Egypt in September 2025. The 42nd Soldiers also conducted operations designed to build regional allies’ military capacity and to deter regional aggression.
The decision to launch combat operations changed the mission for the New York Guard Soldiers and the rest of the task force, James said during the handover ceremony with the 36th Division.
“Our team accomplished a number of [combat] firsts,” James said. “[Every one of them was] enabled by our world-class communicators, maintainers and sustainers, without whose efforts we could not have prevailed.”
The turnover between the 42nd and 36th division headquarters was delayed, so that the 42nd Division could continue to focus on combat operations longer, according to Lt. Gen. Kevin Leahy, commanding general of U.S. Army Central and Third Army.
“This was one of the longest relief-in-place operations in history. It allowed two legendary divisions to work together, with the 36th stepping in to manage key tasks so the 42nd could maintain an uninterrupted focus on combat operations – some of the most complex combat operations in U.S. Army history,” Leahy said.
The headquarters Soldiers did a tremendous job of switching to combat operations on short notice, James said.
“The 42nd Infantry Division has once again proven itself to be a shining example of American military excellence,” James said. “Our Soldiers have demonstrated unwavering bravery, selflessness and dedication to our mission, and I couldn’t be prouder to lead such an exceptional team.
Among their accomplishments was overseeing the targeting of the Army’s new Precision Strike Missile against Iranian targets, James said. This new missile is fired from the battle-tested High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, launching system, but it has a range of more than 300 miles.
“The firing of the first precision missile in combat is a testament to our division’s ability to adapt and innovate in the face of adversity,” James said.
Command Sgt. Major Arnold Reyes, the highest-ranking enlisted Soldier in the division, also praised the Soldiers for their adaptability.
“The Soldiers of the 42nd Infantry Division have shown remarkable resilience and determination in the face of a challenging and dynamic operational environment. I am honored to serve alongside such a talented and dedicated group of warriors,” Reyes said.
The 42nd Infantry Division is headquartered in Troy, New York and includes 5,500 New York National Guard Soldiers as well as Soldiers from the National Guards of New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and several other states.
The division was formed in 1917 when elements from 26 state National Guard units were combined into a single multi-state division to deploy quickly to France during World War I. Douglas MacArthur, who was then a colonel and later became a five-star general, said the division would reach across America “like a rainbow,” and the nickname stuck.
In World War II, the “Rainbow Division” fought across southern Germany, capturing the cities of Wurzburg, Nuremberg and Munich and liberating the Dachau concentration camp.
The division became part of the New York National Guard in 1947. Soldiers from the 42nd Infantry Division responded in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in New York City.
The division headquarters and major support elements deployed to Iraq in 2005 to lead Task Force Liberty, marking the first time National Guard headquarters had gone to war since 1953. Rainbow Soldiers also fought in Afghanistan.
The division headquarters also deployed to the Central Command area in the Middle East in 2020 to lead Task Force Spartan.
By Eric Durr
New York National Guard