1-4th Brigade’s deployment delayed

[unhappycamper]

Deployment orders for soldiers in the 4th Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team have been delayed, which means 4,000 soldiers will be home for the holidays this year.

1-4th Brigade’s deployment delayed
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 25, 2007 18:36:43 EDT

Deployment orders for soldiers in the 4th Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team have been delayed, which means 4,000 soldiers will be home for the holidays this year instead of in Iraq.

The brigade was slated to begin deploying next month to replace the 1st Cavalry Division’s 3rd BCT in Diyala province, a turbulent area north of Baghdad.

But the 3rd BCT, which is redeploying to Fort Hood in December after 15 months in theater, will not be replaced.

Instead, soldiers from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, working in neighboring Salahuddin province will expand their area of operations into Diyala province.

The decision not to replace 3rd BCT, 1st Cavalry Division, signals the beginning of a downsizing of the surge of five additional brigades that began pouring into Iraq in the spring.

“Right now all Forces Command is telling us is that 1st Brigade is being delayed until after the new year,” 4th ID spokesman Lt. Col. Steve Stover told Army Times. He said a firm deployment timeframe has not been set. “We’ll have more clarity in coming weeks.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/10/army_hoodbrigade_071025w/