▁soldiers ▁have ▁served ▁on ▁hom eland ▁security ▁duties ▁in ▁the ▁contin ental ▁United ▁States , ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁and ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁The ▁ 3 4 th ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁deployed ▁to ▁support ▁peace keep ing ▁efforts ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁and ▁elsewhere . ▁ ▁The ▁division ▁continues ▁to ▁serve ▁today , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁division ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁and ▁Iowa ▁National ▁Guard . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁it ▁was ▁staff ed ▁by ▁roughly ▁ 6 , 5 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁from ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁National ▁Guard , ▁ 2 , 9 0 0 ▁from ▁the ▁Iowa ▁National ▁Guard , ▁about ▁ 3 0 0 ▁from ▁the ▁Neb r aska ▁National ▁Guard , ▁and ▁about ▁ 1 0 0 ▁from ▁other ▁states . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁ ▁The ▁division ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Guard ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁consisting ▁of ▁units ▁from ▁Iowa , ▁Minnesota , ▁Neb r aska , ▁North ▁Dak ota , ▁and ▁South ▁Dak ota . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁it ▁was ▁placed ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁August us ▁P . ▁Block som , ▁who ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Brig . ▁Gen . ▁Frank ▁G . ▁Ma uld in ▁briefly ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁but ▁was ▁back ▁in ▁command ▁by ▁ 1 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁