thedrifter
01-13-07, 07:49 AM
Air station units next on road to Iraq
January 13,2007
FREEDOM ENC
There they go again.
Military movement is continuing this week and into the weekend as part of a long-planned large-scale deployment of Marines to Iraq.
About 30 Marines departed Cherry Point Air Station on Wednesday for a year away from home, and about 40 will leave Sunday from New River Air Station. They?ll also be gone for a year, according to Marine Corps officials.
Those two are just part of several groups of Marines and sailors leaving this month. Camp Lejeune is in the process of shipping out 4,400 troops to replace California-based forces. The deployments
Sunday at New River, Marine Aircraft Group 29 will be the first piece of two main groups conducting a turnover with Marine Aircraft Group 16. The main body of MAG-29 is scheduled to leave later this month.
The group will command 11 to 14 additional squadrons while in Iraq, in addition to the two units currently under them ? Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 and Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269.
This marks MAG-29?s second deployment. They left for a six-month stay in Iraq in 2003.
Wednesday at Cherry Point, a group from Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron-2 deployed to Al Asad, Iraq in support of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
It is one of several groups that will leave Cherry Point throughout the month, according to a release. The specific units to be deployed were not listed, but at least 400 Marines from MWHS-2 are expected to be deployed.
Advance parties like MWHS-2 are tasked with setting up camp for deploying units as they replace units already in Iraq, according to the public affairs release
?The advance party will ensure that it?s a smooth entry so that we can get right to work when we get there,? Lt. Col. William J. Conley Jr., MWHS-2 commanding officer, said in a statement.
A spokesman with Cherry Point Air Station said the deployments are not related to President Bush?s announcement Wednesday calling for an additional 22,000 American troops in Iraq.
A group of Cherry Point Marines deployed Jan. 5 with Camp Lejeune?s 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Central Area of Command, which includes Iraq.
An exact destination was not available for the readiness group of 2,200 Marines that combines air and ground units from Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune and New River.
A deployment of EA-6B Prowlers from Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare-4 (VMAQ) Sunday was a routine 3- to 6-month deployment to Iwakuni, Japan, according to a Cherry Point spokesman.
Ellie
January 13,2007
FREEDOM ENC
There they go again.
Military movement is continuing this week and into the weekend as part of a long-planned large-scale deployment of Marines to Iraq.
About 30 Marines departed Cherry Point Air Station on Wednesday for a year away from home, and about 40 will leave Sunday from New River Air Station. They?ll also be gone for a year, according to Marine Corps officials.
Those two are just part of several groups of Marines and sailors leaving this month. Camp Lejeune is in the process of shipping out 4,400 troops to replace California-based forces. The deployments
Sunday at New River, Marine Aircraft Group 29 will be the first piece of two main groups conducting a turnover with Marine Aircraft Group 16. The main body of MAG-29 is scheduled to leave later this month.
The group will command 11 to 14 additional squadrons while in Iraq, in addition to the two units currently under them ? Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 and Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269.
This marks MAG-29?s second deployment. They left for a six-month stay in Iraq in 2003.
Wednesday at Cherry Point, a group from Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron-2 deployed to Al Asad, Iraq in support of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
It is one of several groups that will leave Cherry Point throughout the month, according to a release. The specific units to be deployed were not listed, but at least 400 Marines from MWHS-2 are expected to be deployed.
Advance parties like MWHS-2 are tasked with setting up camp for deploying units as they replace units already in Iraq, according to the public affairs release
?The advance party will ensure that it?s a smooth entry so that we can get right to work when we get there,? Lt. Col. William J. Conley Jr., MWHS-2 commanding officer, said in a statement.
A spokesman with Cherry Point Air Station said the deployments are not related to President Bush?s announcement Wednesday calling for an additional 22,000 American troops in Iraq.
A group of Cherry Point Marines deployed Jan. 5 with Camp Lejeune?s 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Central Area of Command, which includes Iraq.
An exact destination was not available for the readiness group of 2,200 Marines that combines air and ground units from Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune and New River.
A deployment of EA-6B Prowlers from Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare-4 (VMAQ) Sunday was a routine 3- to 6-month deployment to Iwakuni, Japan, according to a Cherry Point spokesman.
Ellie