Defense Department Announces Upcoming Iraq Deployments

Defense Department Announces Upcoming Iraq Deployments
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2008 – The Defense Department today announced replacement units scheduled to deploy next year to Iraq.

About 26,000 troops from an Army corps headquarters, an Army division headquarters, a Marine expeditionary force headquarters, an Army fires brigade and six Army brigade combat teams are scheduled to rotate into Iraq between this winter and next summer, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

Units receiving deployment orders are:

-- 1st Corps Headquarters, Fort Lewis, Wash.;

-- 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas;

-- 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters, Camp Lejeune, N.C.;

-- 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas;

-- 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.;

-- 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis;

-- 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg;

-- 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis;

-- 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.;

-- 115th Fires Brigade, Cheyenne, Wyo.

The Wyoming Army National Guard’s 115th Fires Brigade is made up of artillery battalions and batteries and will be assigned tasks to ensure freedom of movement and continuity operations throughout the country. This includes route clearance operations, searching for roadside bombs and escort security for supply convoys, Whitman said.

The six brigade combat teams are scheduled to deploy as part of DoD’s continuing commitment to maintain the current projected level of forces in Iraq, which is 14 brigade combat teams, he said.

“There are no dwell-time issues,” he said, referring to the amount of time at home these units will have had since their last deployment. Today’s announcement is consistent with President Bush’s recent announcements to reduce Iraq troop levels, Whitman added, though a possibility exists for any of the brigade combat teams to be re-tasked for Afghanistan deployments.

Based on future decisions and recommendations from ground and combatant commanders, Iraq troop numbers and security efforts will be adjusted accordingly, he explained.