thedrifter
11-27-03, 08:13 AM
November 26, 2003
Marines, sailors to rotate into Iraq by spring
By Christian Lowe
Times staff writer
Thousands more Marines and sailors are being tapped for occupation duty in Iraq this spring, when three infantry battalions and associated combat support units join a division-sized Marine task force already set to deploy, Pentagon officials announced Wednesday.
It is still unclear which Marine units will be sent to Iraq or the total number of Marines the commitment of additional units represents, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters said Wednesday.
Plans announced Nov. 6 for long-term rotations to Iraq called the Marine Corps to contribute forces for two seven-month rotations, with about 21,000 Marines and sailors per rotation. Six Marine infantry battalions were to be part of that combined-arms task force. The additional grunt units mark a 50 percent increase in the number of infantry battalions deploying over the two rotations.
The additional Marine battalions increase the total number of U.S. brigades deploying next year from 13 to 14, Pentagon officials said. The Pentagon earlier announced a new rotation plan for Iraq that would reduce the military presence there from approximately 130,000 to 105,000, but it’s unclear how the additional brigade will affect that total.
More than 6,000 Marine reservists were to be mobilized under initial plans for the Iraq rotations — 1,500 reservists for the March rotation and 4,500 for the September rotation. In addition, reservists could make up at least part of the three additional infantry battalions, said Maj. Doug Powell, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters.
Third Battalion, 24th Marines, is the only Reserve infantry unit to be mobilized to support the rotations thus far. It is unclear whether 3/24 would be pulled off its planned Unit Deployment Program rotation to Okinawa, Japan, for a stint in Iraq, or whether another infantry battalion will be mobilized.
The increased Marine commitment to occupation duty in Iraq is a result of weeks of consultation between the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon and the Marine Corps, Powell said.
The decision to increase the number of troops shipping to Iraq next year comes as top military officials claim attacks on U.S. troops in the region have dropped 50 percent. President Bush said in a press briefing during his visit to England last week that the number of troops sent for Iraqi occupation duty would reflect the security situation there, leaving open the possibility of increasing the U.S. military commitment if needed.
“We could have less troops in Iraq. We could have the same number of troops in Iraq. We could have more troops in Iraq, whatever is necessary to secure Iraq,” Bush said during the Nov. 20 news conference.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=0-292925-2434084.php
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Marines, sailors to rotate into Iraq by spring
By Christian Lowe
Times staff writer
Thousands more Marines and sailors are being tapped for occupation duty in Iraq this spring, when three infantry battalions and associated combat support units join a division-sized Marine task force already set to deploy, Pentagon officials announced Wednesday.
It is still unclear which Marine units will be sent to Iraq or the total number of Marines the commitment of additional units represents, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters said Wednesday.
Plans announced Nov. 6 for long-term rotations to Iraq called the Marine Corps to contribute forces for two seven-month rotations, with about 21,000 Marines and sailors per rotation. Six Marine infantry battalions were to be part of that combined-arms task force. The additional grunt units mark a 50 percent increase in the number of infantry battalions deploying over the two rotations.
The additional Marine battalions increase the total number of U.S. brigades deploying next year from 13 to 14, Pentagon officials said. The Pentagon earlier announced a new rotation plan for Iraq that would reduce the military presence there from approximately 130,000 to 105,000, but it’s unclear how the additional brigade will affect that total.
More than 6,000 Marine reservists were to be mobilized under initial plans for the Iraq rotations — 1,500 reservists for the March rotation and 4,500 for the September rotation. In addition, reservists could make up at least part of the three additional infantry battalions, said Maj. Doug Powell, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters.
Third Battalion, 24th Marines, is the only Reserve infantry unit to be mobilized to support the rotations thus far. It is unclear whether 3/24 would be pulled off its planned Unit Deployment Program rotation to Okinawa, Japan, for a stint in Iraq, or whether another infantry battalion will be mobilized.
The increased Marine commitment to occupation duty in Iraq is a result of weeks of consultation between the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon and the Marine Corps, Powell said.
The decision to increase the number of troops shipping to Iraq next year comes as top military officials claim attacks on U.S. troops in the region have dropped 50 percent. President Bush said in a press briefing during his visit to England last week that the number of troops sent for Iraqi occupation duty would reflect the security situation there, leaving open the possibility of increasing the U.S. military commitment if needed.
“We could have less troops in Iraq. We could have the same number of troops in Iraq. We could have more troops in Iraq, whatever is necessary to secure Iraq,” Bush said during the Nov. 20 news conference.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=0-292925-2434084.php
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: