4 National Guard Brigades for Iraq

[konev]

Gents,

 

Saw this in Thursday edition of Army Times (NBC ran similar story):

 

DoD to alert Guard for possible 2008 Iraq tours

 

By Lolita C. Baldor - The Associated Press

Posted : Thursday Apr 5, 2007 22:13:23 EDT

 

WASHINGTON — Several National Guard brigades are expected to be notified soon that they could be sent to Iraq around the first of next year, according to a senior Defense Department official.

 

If their assignment to Iraq is ultimately approved by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, it would be the first time full Guard combat brigades were sent back to Iraq for a second tour.

 

The units would serve as replacement forces in the regular unit rotation for the war, and would not be connected to the recent military build-up for security operations in Baghdad. Gates is expected to sign the notices alerting the Guard troops shortly, said the official, who requested anonymity because the information has not yet been released.

 

“You will start to see reserve-component forces coming back into the rotation,” said the official, adding that the notices are being done now in order to give the Guard units as much time as possible to prepare.

 

Guard officials told The Associated Press in February that they had contingency plans to send at least two Guard combat brigades back to Iraq in 2008 for their second yearlong tour of duty.

 

While it is not clear yet which units would be alerted, they would likely include brigades that were among the first to go to Iraq early in the war. Some of those include brigades from North Carolina, Florida, Arkansas and Indiana.

 

Smaller units and individual troops from the Guard already have returned to Iraq for longer periods, and some active-duty units have served multiple tours. A brigade is roughly 3,500 troops.

 

The troop alerts come as President Bush and Congress wrestle over legislation that would set timelines for troop withdrawals from Iraq. Nearly two months ago, Bush asked for more than $100 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year. Congress has approved the money, but the Senate added a provision also calling for most U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraq by March 31, 2008. The House version demands a September 2008 withdrawal. Bush has vowed to veto any legislation that includes such deadlines.

 

According to defense and Guard officials, the first Guard units could go as soon as late December with others following over the next six months. They would be sent only if commanders in Iraq determined the troops were needed.

 

About 270,000 of the more than 347,000 Army Guard soldiers have served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

 

Gates said April 5 that the Pentagon’s goal is to give reserve units five years at home for every year deployed. Earlier this year he announced that the reserves will now deploy as full units, and they will go for only 12 months at a time.

 

Guard units currently serve about 18 months for each tour of duty, including six months of training.

 

But Gates told Pentagon reporters that there will be a “transition period during which those guidelines would be violated and in which we would be unable, because of the troops commitments in Afghanistan and in Iraq, to meet those goals.”

 

That transition period, he said, could last a year or two.

 

 

konev

[TheSilentType]

Apparently the 58th Infantry Brigade from the 29th ID is among the units being sent. The local news is saying that 1,300 national guard troops from Maryland are being called up.

[Rubberneck]

The 58th is an 07 rotation.

 

Depending on how I heal from my achilles injury, I might be on my way to Iraq in 08.

[Scott Cunningham]

Maybe I'll see you over there. We just wrapped up our deployment last spring, but all bets are now off, so I wouldn't be too suprised to get a phone call.

[Manic Moran]

Maybe I'll see you over there. We just wrapped up our deployment last spring, but all bets are now off, so I wouldn't be too suprised to get a phone call.

 

Hey! We're ahead of you on that list! Get back in line!!!

 

(Ah, morbid humour)

 

NTM

[Rubberneck]

Well, shitfire and damnation, we might just have us a TankNet Iraq Officers call next year in the asshole of Greater Arabia!

[Paul G.]

The 26th currently has elements in Kosovo and Iraq, with an MTT heading to Afganistan. Haven't seen the updated schedual, but the BC mentioned we had been bumped up a couple of years to '08 or '09.

[FALightFighter]

Well, shitfire and damnation, we might just have us a TankNet Iraq Officers call next year in the asshole of Greater Arabia!

 

I'll be there. Now we just have to figure out where to have it.

 

Maybe we can coordinate a 3 day pass to Qatar- than we can all enjoy 2 beers together.

[konev]

Well, shitfire and damnation, we might just have us a TankNet Iraq Officers call next year in the asshole of Greater Arabia!

 

Rubberneck,

 

Why wait? Just set one up for past, present and future.

 

konev

[konev]

Gents,

 

Looks like the first one got alerted (see below):

Ind. Guard alerted about possible deployment

 

The Associated Press

Posted : Friday Apr 6, 2007 20:38:01 EDT

 

INDIANAPOLIS — The 3,400 soldiers of the Indiana National Guard's 76th Brigade Combat Team were alerted Friday that they will be deployed to the Mideast sometime soon.

“On a more tactical level, we call it a warning order,” Indiana National Guard Staff Sgt. Les Newport said. “Be prepared, this is what your future holds in store.”

The brigade was told in February it might be deployed in 2008, and this order confirms it, Newport said.

He did not know whether the soldiers will head to Iraq or Afghanistan, or which units would be involved, but expected a “robust deployment of the brigade.”

Some of the brigade’s soldiers have already served in Iraq and Afghanistan, including one unit that recently returned from training Iraqi security forces.

The alert order aims to give soldiers a chance to prepare their families and inform their employers.

[Guest JamesG123]

We did a JRTC rotation with the 76th a few years ago. I sure hope they don't call..

[Old Tanker]

NG and RFA going for second tour and what about approx. 200,000 RA that haven't had a Iraqi or A-stan tour yet ?

[Hellfish6]

Can anybody tell me if the 66th Infantry Brigade (which may now be reflagged as the 33rd Infantry Brigade) from the Illinois Guard has been deployed yet? As far as I can tell, they're the only infantry brigade that hasn't had a combat deployment yet.

[Manic Moran]

Can anybody tell me if the 66th Infantry Brigade (which may now be reflagged as the 33rd Infantry Brigade) from the Illinois Guard has been deployed yet? As far as I can tell, they're the only infantry brigade that hasn't had a combat deployment yet.

 

What's the bets that almost every soldier in the brigade has, but the flag hasn't?

 

NTM<

[Hellfish6]

What's the bets that almost every soldier in the brigade has, but the flag hasn't?

 

NTM<

 

I'm sure elements and individuals have, but as far as I can tell my old unit (1-178th Inf) hasn't been deployed to combat. AFAIK they went to Germany for a year to provide gate security and then replaced the 1-509th as the Opfor at JRTC for a year.

 

It really makes me wonder if my Guard unit was that far below average? I mean, we weren't an enhanced brigade, didn't even get SAWs until the year 2000, and never seemed to have anything new or functional.

[Rubberneck]

I have some insight into the process of using Guard units for Noble Eagle and Sante Fe.

 

The military wanted to protect critical infrastructure both at home and overseas. They still needed a strategic reserve (the Enchanted Brigades) but there were 25 odd Divisional Brigades that could be utilized for these missions. There was some real gnashing of teeth at various commands on why this was a mission that the Guard should undertake. In the end, the leadership said, "yeah, let's do it" and so we did.

 

No one, and I mean no one, thought that these units would be needed for Iraq or any other contingencies. So when they were needed, it was a wake up call, since they couldn't be mobilized again because of the 24 months in 60 months mobilization rules.

 

The 66th/33rd probably has a large number of soldiers and possibly some company, maybe some battalions that were mobilized for OIF/OEF in the past.

 

Divisional units were always at the bottom of the heap in terms of funding and equipment. They were funded and equipped at the lowest levels possible for 30 years. Someone had to get the short end of the stick. It had nothing to do with the quality of the unit.

[Hellfish6]

Ah, interesting. Now that there are technically no more divisional units and everything is supposed to be standardized, does that mean the feds are gonna fund the Guard equally, or will there still be some brigades that are enhanced?

[Noble713]

While it is not clear yet which units would be alerted, they would likely include brigades that were among the first to go to Iraq early in the war. Some of those include brigades from North Carolina, Florida, Arkansas and Indiana.

 

 

I remember when the media tried to drop this bombshell last year. When I was in HHC, our battalion commander himself come out and told us shouldn't be going anywhere until 2011. I suppose higher up could always shit all over his plans, though (like standing up the FSC). If that's the case, I'll be playing in the sandbox too!

Edited April 7, 2007 by Noble713

[Hellfish6]

I was just at the 53rd Bde HQ and IIRC they were prepping a mission to Afghanistan. Or did a unit in the brigade just come back from Afghanistan? Something like that.

[Rubberneck]

They are all supposed to be equipped, funded and manned to the same standard. Of course, the Army is looking to save money at all costs, so that means it's going to take a while to get all of this done.

 

Unless you are going to theater, then you get priority and the equipment and funding starts to flow in...

 

Ah, interesting. Now that there are technically no more divisional units and everything is supposed to be standardized, does that mean the feds are gonna fund the Guard equally, or will there still be some brigades that are enhanced?

[Noble713]

I was just at the 53rd Bde HQ and IIRC they were prepping a mission to Afghanistan. Or did a unit in the brigade just come back from Afghanistan? Something like that.

 

We had a bunch of guys come back from Afghanistan late last year. I think there is one company from another battalion that might be rotating there.

 

Unless you are going to theater, then you get priority and the equipment and funding starts to flow in...

 

Hmmm, last drill the unit had a bunch of M68 CCO's recently "donated"/on loan from BDE HQ. We were also issued an additional 2 sets of ACUs. The other Fire Team Leader in my squad voiced concerns about us getting deployed, but considering the craziness at HHC I thought it was unlikely. If I show up this month and we get even more gear I guess that settles it. Right now only the 3 NCOs even have TA-50 and rucks, and I only have a ruck b/c I bought one on Ebay. Our 5 soldiers are lucky if they have knee pads and a camelback.

[Gunguy]

Some slightly good news on the horizon. The COS of the Army, I can't think of his name right now was testifying to Congress that the Army is now broken and needs to be fixed. He is pushing VERY hard for massive amounts of money for new gear. He has a Congress that is open to that, so he might well get all he wants. They (the Army) have not presented the case so forcefully before, they always said it could become a major issue etc. Now he says IT IS a major issue. I guess they will be getting a ton of money in the next year or so. The gear will follow two years after that. It takes time to make all that new stuff........

 

I'm impressed that the Army is seriously turning up the heat on its money requests. Good for them! The Air Force and Navy (which I support) don't need everything........

[Scott Cunningham]

The Army CoS did this back in September. He told Congress that the army was broken and what was needed to fix it. Essentially he put his nuts on the line to say it. No major changes yet that I have seen.

 

The current deployment/rest/ARFORGEN scheme has been unsustainable, and the Army knew it. When officials would be promising troops specific rest periods, then telling news crews later of troop surges, sustained deployments, etc.... you could tell they were just saying whatever they felt like at the time.

 

This isn't the first time. Remember Bill Clinton's famous "One year only, then we are out" for Bosnia? Seven years later we were still messing around over there.

[Gunguy]

The Army CoS did this back in September. He told Congress that the army was broken and what was needed to fix it. Essentially he put his nuts on the line to say it. No major changes yet that I have seen.

 

The current deployment/rest/ARFORGEN scheme has been unsustainable, and the Army knew it. When officials would be promising troops specific rest periods, then telling news crews later of troop surges, sustained deployments, etc.... you could tell they were just saying whatever they felt like at the time.

 

This isn't the first time. Remember Bill Clinton's famous "One year only, then we are out" for Bosnia? Seven years later we were still messing around over there.

 

Scott!, don't confuse Congress with the facts! I know all of this is open to the whim of Congress and the Executive Branch. We still need the upsized military (Army and Marines) AND the increased budgets that come with it. As a Superpower, we should be able to fight one regional war without breaking the services. I guess (I hope) the military will get larger budgets for the future. But, I know Congress and what they do in peacetime........weasels.

 

Also, if they are going to actually use the Reserves and Guard, then they need to equip them with full gear and not short them. If it takes 5% to 6% of our GDP, then so be it. Well, that is my two cents....

[konev]

Gents,

 

Just saw this in today's Army Times:

 

Guard units alerted for Iraq deployments

Staff report

Posted : Monday Apr 9, 2007 11:54:26 EDT

 

Four Army National Guard brigade combat teams — more than 12,000 soldiers — have been alerted for duty in Iraq, the Army confirmed Monday.

 

The first BCT will deploy in December, and the other three in 2008. These most recent alerts are not associated with the current buildup of forces. Instead, they are part of routine unit rotations, according to the Army.

 

The brigade combat teams that were alerted are:

 

• 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Little Rock, Ark. The 39th BCT last deployed as part of the 1st Cavalry Division from February 2004 to February 2005, serving in Baghdad and Taji, Iraq.

 

• 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma City. The 45th more recently served in Afghanistan, deploying in the fall of 2003 to support the Afghan National Army.

 

• 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Columbus, Ohio. The 37th’s last deployment was to Kosovo, from August 2004 to February 2005. This will be the brigade’s first deployment as a modular brigade combat team formation.

 

• 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Indianapolis. The 76th has had various elements of its brigade deployed since November 2002 to Iraq and Afghanistan. Its last brigade-level rotation was May 2004 to August 2005 in Afghanistan.

 

More than 250,000 National Guard soldiers have been mobilized since the beginning of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.