US CENTCOM – September, 2025. For more than two decades, Master Sgt. Aaron Sassman has carried a piece of home wherever duty calls. A 22-year resident of Ames, Iowa, and proud Iowa State University alum, Sassman, a field artillery senior sergeant assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat team, 34th
infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard, has made it a personal tradition to fly his Iowa State Cyclones flag on every deployment since 2002.
Sassman first enlisted in February 2001, just months before the events of 9/11 changed the course of military service for National Guardsmen for a generation. Since then, he has supported multiple missions, including Operation Noble Eagle II, a Homeland Security mission
following 9/11 in 2002-03, KSF in 2007-2008, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan’s Paktia Province in 2010-11, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province from 2020–21, and now in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in 2025.
A two-time Iowa State graduate, Sassman earned his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and later his master’s degree in Soil Science. Since 2014, he has worked in various roles at Iowa State University in the Department of Agronomy. He is currently employed as a
research scientist for Dr. Richard Roth, an assistant professor and extension soil fertility specialist.
Though his family are loyal University of Iowa Hawkeye fans, Sassman’s allegiance to Iowa State University never wavered.
Outside of the uniform and his day job, Sassman enjoys following Cyclone athletics, especially football, basketball, gymnastics and wrestling. His wife, who works as the assistant director of procurement at ISU, shares his support at home during deployments.
From the soils of the Midwest to the sands of the Middle East, Sassman’s commitment to service – and bleeding cardinal and gold – runs deep.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2025 08:46 |
| Story ID: | 550699 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 37 |
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This work, Cyclone Spirit Overseas: Iowa State Alum keeps tradition alive during deployments, by SSG Rachel White, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
