Stryker unit ordered to Iraq
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
The Pentagon has announced it is ordering the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Schofield Barracks back to Iraq next year amid plans by the U.S. to wind down its presence in the country and as increasing attention is focused on the dilemma of a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.
The 4,300 soldiers with Hawai'i's Stryker brigade returned in February and March from 15 months in northern Baghdad, Taji, Tarmiyah and Abu Ghraib. The brigade has about 400 of the 19-ton Stryker armored vehicles.
The scheduled rotation for the forces will begin in the summer of 2010.
Yesterday's announcement for the next Iraq rotation involves three brigade combat teams and an armored cavalry regiment totaling approximately 15,000 personnel, the Pentagon said.
The 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division based out of Fort Lewis, Wash., was the first Army unit to deploy to Afghanistan with the eight-wheeled Stryker vehicles. Sixteen soldiers from the brigade have died since it deployed in July.
About 123,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq. President Obama has ordered all combat troops to be out of Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010. As many as 50,000 noncombat troops could stay to train and advise Iraqi forces until the end of 2011.
U.S. troop levels in Iraq are expected to be at 120,000 by the end of the month, with 110,000 in the country at the end of 2009.
Violence has decreased in Iraq, from a high of 1,600 attacks a week in 2007, to less than 200 a week now, The Associated Press reported.
The units also receiving deployment orders to Iraq include:
Two large Schofield contingents are now returning from Iraq. The 3rd Brigade with about 3,500 soldiers has mostly returned to Hawai'i, while about 1,000 soldiers with the 25th Infantry Division headquarters are expected back in November.
In August, some 2,400 troops with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade left on a yearlong deployment to northern Iraq. The brigade sent nearly 100 helicopters on the deployment.
