Next Iraq, Afghanistan rotations announced

By Michelle Tan - Staff writerPosted : Thursday Jul 16, 2009 9:00:21 EDT
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/army_deployments_071409w/
The Defense Department announced Tuesday the next major units tapped to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq beginning this fall.
The announcements affect 37,500 soldiers — 30,000 to Iraq and 7,500 to Afghanistan. However, these upcoming rotations are part of regular deployments and will not change the overall number of troops in each theater, according to DoD.
To Afghanistan
About 3,800 soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, from Fort Campbell, Ky., will deploy to Afghanistan in late fall. The brigade returned from its last deployment, to Iraq, in November 2008.
About 3,700 soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, of Vicenza, Italy, will deploy in the winter. The unit has completed two tours in Afghanistan, the most recent ending in August 2008.
Both brigades will conduct full spectrum operations in Afghanistan.
To Iraq
About 30,000 troops — in three division headquarters and eight BCTs — will deploy to Iraq beginning in the fall. Units will continue deploying into early 2010, according to the DoD.
The headquarters units deploying are from the 3rd Infantry Division, of Fort Stewart, Ga.; 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; and 1st Armored Division, Wiesbaden, Germany.
These division headquarters will provide command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to support security operations in Iraq.
The following three brigade combat teams will replace units already on the ground and they will be tasked with conducting full spectrum operations:
• 1st BCT, 1st Armored Division, of Fort Bliss, Texas. The brigade returned from its last Iraq tour in February 2007.
• 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division, of Fort Drum, N.Y. The unit returned from its last Iraq deployment in November 2008.
• 2nd BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, which completed its last Iraq tour in November 2007.
These four BCTs will serve in an advisory and assistance role, and their mission will be to train and mentor Iraqi Security Forces, conduct coordinated counter-terrorism missions and protect ongoing civilian and military efforts in Iraq, according to the DoD announcement.
• 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, of Fort Benning, Ga., which returned from Iraq in June 2008.
• 2nd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, of Fort Stewart, which came home from Iraq in July 2008.
• 1st BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, of Fort Stewart, which completed its last Iraq tour in April 2008.
• 3rd BCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. This unit came home from Iraq in February 2009.
In addition, the 53rd BCT from the Florida Army National Guard also will deploy. Its mission will be to conduct security force missions, including base defense and route security. The 53rd originally had been tapped to deploy to Afghanistan, but was re-missioned to serve in Kuwait and Iraq.