Troops in, troops out

Soldiers Magazine, July, 2004 by Beth Reece

SOLDIERS across the Army marked the one-year anniversary of the war in Iraq with kisses--some in elated reunion, others in farewell. As waves of veterans returned home from the desert, a fresh batch of Soldiers quickly replaced them in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Approximately 130,000 troops ended a yearlong haul in Iraq between January and May. Their replacements numbered 11,000--80,000 Soldiers, 25,000 Marines, and 5,000 Air Force and Navy personnel. Some Soldiers returned to Iraq for a second tour, having returned home only six months earlier.

The rotation peaked just before the deadliest month since the war's start. From April 1 through 15, 87 U.S. troops were killed in roadside attacks and firefights, and 560 were wounded.

In mid-April GEN John Abizaid, head of U.S. Central Command, requested additional troops to help fight off Islamic militants, foreign terrorists and remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime.

"Troop strength now and in the future is determined by the situation on the ground," said President George W. Bush during an April 13 press conference. "If additional forces are needed, I will send them. If additional resources are need, we will provide them."

The Pentagon subsequently extended through July the tours of Soldiers in the 1st Armored Division.

Troops In, Troops Out

After Christmas America began welcoming home the 4th Infantry Division to Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Carson, Colo.; the 82nd Airborne Div. to Fort Bragg, N.C.; the 1st Armored Div. to Wiesbaden, Germany; the 101st Abn. Div. to Fort Campbell, Ky.; the 3rd Armd. Cavalry Regiment to Fort Carson; and the 173rd Abn. Brigade to Vicenza, Italy.

Meanwhile, families wished luck and Godspeed to the 1st Cav. Div. from Fort Hood; the 1st Inf. Div. from Wurzburg, Germany, along with the division's 1st Bde. from Fort Riley, Kan.; and the 2nd Inf. Div.s' 3rd Bde. from Fort Lewis, Wash.

Fourteen brigades replaced 17 by the rotation's end.

National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers took a larger share of the mission, their numbers growing from the previous 38 percent of the OIF force to 46 percent. Deployed are the 30th Brigade Combat Team of the North Carolina National Guard, the Arkansas Guard's 39th BCT, and the Washington Guard's 39th BCT, and the Washington Guard's 81st Armd. Bde.

Many Guard and Reserved Soldiers headed to the desert, while others were attached to rear-detachment commands to fill voids left by deployed Soldiers.

Layover in Kuwait

Nearly every unit en route or departing from Iraq made a two-week stop in Kuwait. Incoming Soldiers collected equipment shipped or flown over, while outgoing Soldiers prepared equipment for shipment back to the United States.

Third Army's Coalition Forces Land Component Command played host to as many as 250,000 Soldiers in March. Soldiers from almost every job specialty--particularly transportation and military police--were employed to help move equipment and troops in and out of the area.

CFLCC equipped transitioning Soldiers with beds, showers, tents, portable restrooms, wash racks, fuel points, dining facilities and even flatbed trucks for transporting equipment. CFLCC also assured access to medical facilities, AAFES and a post office.

"At the peak of 'the surge' we had to expand housing to 10 base camps to accommodate the large flow of forces," said CFLCC CSM John D. Sparks. "We had to put extra attention on morale issues and beef up all classes of supply."

The stop in Kuwait gave units heading to Iraq the chance to familiarize themselves with the Arabic language and local customs, and the opportunity to conduct individual weapons training, improvised explosive device training and convoy live-fire training. CFLCC also helped arriving units upgrade their vehicles for combat operations.

Sparks said his Soldiers were well primed for preparing units about to embark on the estimated three-day road march into Iraq.

War Ready

The surge of firefights and attacks on convoys and base camps early this year underscored the need for war-ready troops.

Many reserve-component Soldiers preparing for deployment headed to Fort Riley, Kan., for training given by a task force of Soldiers from the Army Reserve's 3rd Brigade, 75th Division.

"We train these Soldiers hard," said MAJ Marie Ryberg, the task force's exercise director. "We give them an austere and realistic training environment, because we're using lessons learned from Iraq."

In Iraq, guard duty and convoy escorts were heightened during the rotation to help protect units coming and going through the region. Patrols, raids and search operations continued as usual.

ISG Martin Kelley of the 4th Inf. Div.'s 10th Cavalry noted that duty in Iraq includes on-the-job training for skills not taught in standard military classes.

"I had to do a lot of stuff I never thought I'd do, and I needed to learn how to make government work," said Kelley. "Before going to Iraq I had no idea how to set up a city council or rebuild a city."

Soldiers who returned from the desert advised those new to the mission to stay alert and not hesitate. The enemy in Iraq is tenacious, warned LTC Reginald Allen, commander of 1st Squadron, 10th Cav.