Thursday, October 8, 2009

Summer 2010 Iraq rotations announced

The Department of Defense just announced the units that have been tapped for deployment to Iraq next summer. Each unit will serve as an advise and assist brigade (AAB) and will be replacing a departing unit, so there is no increase in the overall force level in theater. The units identified for deployment are:
  • 4th (Vanguard) Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
  • 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Wahiawa, Hawaii
  • 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Brave Rifles), Fort Hood, Texas
  • 4th (Long Knife) Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas
Many people will remember the 3rd ACR as H.R. McMaster's old command. The regiment earned great credit for the pacification of Tal Afar, memorably chronicled by George Packer in the New Yorker.

In keeping with my habit of commenting on the coolness or weirdness of various unit identifiers, here's a weird coincidence: 4th BCT/1st Cav is called the Long Knife Brigade, while 4th Squadron of the 3rd ACR is called the Longknife Squadron. (I mean, seriously? There aren't enough nicknames out there? It reminds me of back when the CFL used to have two franchises out of eight with the same name, and two different spellings: the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa Rough Riders! Is Canadian football really that rough?)

Previously: Fall ('09) Iraq rotations announced

3 comments:

  1. 1. Interesting that the military is sending 4/3 ID to Iraq, given IBCTs' scarcity and the need for them in Afghanistan.

    2. 3rd ACR has had some other notable achievements since McMaster's tenure - for example, their hard work in Mosul in 2008, some of which I had the privilege of witnessing with Thunder Squadron.

    3. "Longknife" is sort of weird to have as a double nickname, but this happens with other more common-sounding nicknames all the time - for example, I dare you to count the number of units that are the "Spartan" or "Warrior" Brigade/Battalion/Squadron etc. And the Marine Corps has two units called "America's Battalion": 3/3 and 2/8.

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  2. Tintin - your first point is dead on. Especially as they were transitioned from an HBCT to an IBCT in the last year specifically to go to Afghanistan. Very interesting but not surprising for the Rock of the Marne.

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  3. Interesting to see that 4/3 is the Vanguard Brigade as I am part of the 1-18 IN, the Vanguard Battalion, in 2/1 ID (the Dagger Brigade).

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