Army names 3 units for Iraq, Afghanistan deployments

Posted 2015-08-06 17:42 by Grunt Report

About 2,550 soldiers with 10th Mountain Division will deploy in the next few months as part of Iraq and Afghanistan troop rotations, the Army announced Wednesday.

The largest contingent will come from the division’s Fort Drum, New York-based 1st Brigade Combat Team, which will send about 1,250 soldiers to Iraq to support Operation Inherent Resolve, the military’s ongoing mission to counter the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. The deployment was first announced in March and is expected to last nine months. The brigade last deployed to Afghanistan for nine months in 2013.

Another 300 troops from 10th Mountain’s headquarters at Fort Drum will deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel, the Army announced, along with about 1,000 troops from the division’s 3rd BCT, based at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Soldiers with that unit returned in March 2014 after spending nearly nine months in Afghanistan. Then known as 4th Brigade Combat Team, it was reflagged earlier this year after the deactivation of the Fort Drum-based 3rd BCT in late 2014.

The deployments will take place in late summer and early fall, according to the announcement. Earlier Wednesday, the Army announced that soldiers with Fort Hood, Texas-based III Corps would deploy to Kuwait as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.

“We continuously train in preparation for contingencies around the globe, which is why I am confident that our soldiers are equipped, trained and ready to assume the missions announced today,” Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Bannister, head of 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum, said in the announcement.