Long Knives Begin The Return From Iraq

This group was called an "advon," an advance party of troopers from units across the Brigade who were sent home to help the rear detachment prepare for the return of their peers. The Brigade deployed to Iraq just after Labor Day, last year, with the majority of soldiers stationed near Mosul, in the northern region. The unit will be replaced by the 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, from Fort Bliss.

Flights for the rest of the Brigade, known asa the "main body", will begin arriving at Ft. Hood next week, with the final flights closing out in early September. All homecoming ceremonies are scheduled to be at Cooper Field.

Second Echelpn Of 4th Brigade Returns

On 25 August, more that 200 Soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division arrived at the Robert Gray Army Airfield at Ft. Hood after a year long deployment to Iraq. The squadron was stationed in Mosul, working with the Iraqi army at the Al Ghuzlani Training Center. The flight marked the second battalion within the Brigade to uncase its colors and return home.

On 06 September, Soldiers, mostly from the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment were greeted with a hug from Elizabeth Laird, Ft. Hood's Hug Lady, and checked in their weapons. From there, soldiers were bused to Cooper Field, where family and friends awaited them. During a colorful ceremony, the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division uncased its colors. The uncasing ceremony marked the official stateside return of the 4th AAB, 1st Cavalry Division, "Long Knife" Brigade after a year long deployment to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

As the last US Soldiers to occupy Joint Force Balad (JBB), Black Jack troops, worked closely with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing of the Air Force to transition the base to the Iraqi government. Also the 4th Squadron, 9th "Dark Horse" Cavalry Regiment and the 3rd "Red Dragons" Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment workwed closely in the collaboration, cooperation and coordination of the lines of communication.

The Last Soldiers Load Onto a C-130

On 05 November Joint Base Balad (JBB), Iraq was officially transferred to the Iraqi government after being occupied for more that eigh years by hundreds of thousands of US Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and foreign contractors. The major elements of the transition were planned and performed by the 2nd "Black Jack" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The transition was done by utilizing key elements of force protection and logistical operations from several battalions and the collaborative efforts between Soldiers and Airmen.

On 15 Decenber, exactly eight months to the day they cased their colors, Soldiers with the 2nd "Black Jack" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division assembled again on Cooper Field and uncased their colors, marking one of the last units to leave Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn and allowing Soldiers to be home just in time for the holidays. The Brigade had operated primarily in the Northern Iraqi Joint Operations area.

Being home for the holidays came as a surprise to the Black Jack Soldiers. They didn't know until a couple of weeks ago that they would be back before the Christmas holiday, and they were very fortunate everything worked out. Many Black Jack Soldiers agreed that being one of the last units to leave their footprint in Iraq made their numerous deployment rotations, loss of comrades and countless holidays away from loved ones well worth it.

Encasing Of The US Forces Colors

Also on 15 December, half-way around the world in Iraq, after almost nine years, the Iraq war officially ended. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta flew into Baghdad to be the guest of honor at a ceremony formally wrapping up the 8 1/2 old invasion and occupation of Iraq. The ceremony ended the war two weeks earlier than was necessary under the terms of the security agreement signed by the US and Iraqi governments in 2008, which stipulated that the troops must be gone by 31 December 2011.

After speeches by various dignitaries, the flag of United States Force-Iraq was folded away signaling the end of the mission was over, eight years, eight months and 25 days after it began on March 20, 2003. The war resulted in an estimated 4,487 American deaths, more than 100,000 Iraqi lives lost and more than $800 billion invested by US taxpayers on both the military effort and reconstruction. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that when all is said and done the total cost of the war in Iraq to US taxpayers - including on going care for severely injured soldiers - will be around $1.9 trillion.

On 21 December, as the white buses, loaded with 3rd Brigade Soldiers, drove the route from Robert Gray Army Airfield to Cooper Field an atmosphere of excitement coupled with exhaustion filled the vehicles. The 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, the last Army unit to leave Iraq on the previous Saturday night, had been stationed at Contingency Operating Base Adder, which was the last base to close. After about 20 minutes, the white buses turned onto Battalion Avenue and soldiers stared silently out the windows at the cheering crowds - their voices muffled by the windows and the engines of the buses.

3rd Brigade At Khabari-Crossing

This is a video of the last convoy of heavily armored personnel carriers, known as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAPs) vehicles, of the 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. They had left the staging base at Camp Adder in southern Iraq in Sunday's early hours. No formal "exit ceremony" was given as they slipped out under cover of darkness and strict secrecy to prevent any final attacks. The 500 soldiers didn't even tell their Iraqi comrades on the base they were leaving.

The movement of the 3rd Brigade, as the last unit to redeploy out of Iraq, symbolizes the closing of a mission spanning nearly a decade. This last unit to pass through the Khabari-Crossing played an essential role in Iraq since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq in 2003. The Gray Wolf Brigade was there at the beginning of the mission and now, as Operation New Dawn ends, they will be a part of history in the making - and, in their legacy, will see the mission to the very end.

Even though Greywolf will be remembered as the last brigade to leave, no matter when or where in Iraq a soldier deployed over the last eight and a half years, they are proud of their contribution.

1st Brigade Trains Kuwaiti Troops

As reported on 27 December, 2011 Soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division closed the chapter of Operation New Dawn and took on the responsibility of securing Iraq's roadways running south to Kuwait, aiding in the successful withdrawal of over 30,000 troops and millions of dollars of equipment. With one historic moment complete, their mission continues.

The 1st Brigade along with other US soldiers who are currently deployed to Kuwait will remain in the country for the time being. For now, the US contingent, totaling nearly 15,000, consisted of soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, which includes the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard and the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Maryland National Guard. A spokeswoman for the Brigade was quoted as saying the combat team would serve as a response force for US Central Command.

Although some elements of the Ironhorse Brigade may still be adjusting to its new location, the Brigade looks forward to its new mission which comprises of joint training and military-to-military operations and cooperation with Kuwait and other regional allies. Implementation of the long-term training goal of the Ironhorse's current mission minimizes the need for US and internalional partnering, with Kuwait, because Kuwait will be trained and proficient enough to "stand alone".

Despite media speculation that the brigade along with several thousand other US military personnel moved to Kuwait to keep hostile area nations in check during Iraq's transition to full independence from US assistance, The stabilizing effect of Ironhorse's presence in the Persian Gulf region a byproduct of its larger mission. It is expected that the brigade will remain deployed for its full 12-month mission, making for an early summer return.

US Forces Movement in Persian Gulf

On 13 January, the Pentagon indicated that the "destabilizing behavior" of Iran was a factor in planning in the Middle East but sought to discourage speculation the US military was quietly building up forces in the region to counter any perceived threat. The number of US forces in Kuwait has grown to about 15,000 in recent weeks, including two combat brigades, as troops have withdrawn from Iraq following the end of the war.

A Pentagon spokesman, indicated that he was not aware of any decision to permanently increase the number of troops based in Kuwait. Temporarily the forces in Kuwait has increased because a brigade deployed to Iraq at the end of the war had been shifted to Kuwait to finish its deployment. Force numbers in any given location shift regularly depending on needs.

Earlier this week, the military reported that a second aircraft carrier had arrived in the Arabian Sea and a third was on its way to the region. The Pentagon portrayed this as a normal rotation, with one ship en route to its home port. The movements come at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. Iran has threatened action if another US carrier moves into the Gulf and has said it might try to close the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which much of the region's oil is shipped.

The New York Times has reported that the US may re-position forces from Iraq and build up forces all in the Persian Gulf region, among the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain (already home to the US 5th Fleet), Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has previously indicated that the United States would have about 40,000 troops in the region after the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq at the end of 2011, but declined to specify where they would all be located.

Implementation

General Odierno, Army Chief Of Staff

Although the Pentagon had introduced planning for force reduction as early in May, 2011, it was not until 27 January, 2012 when the Army Chief of Staff, General Raymond Odierno, in a series of public biefings describing the overall scope of the impact on the Army, announced that the Army will remain capable through the planned 6 year drawdown of the current 570,000 Soldiers to 490,000. Along with the loss of 80,000 Soldiers, it is planned to reduce at least eight, active organizational brigades from the present TOE capability - approximated at 43, now. In 2017, the new Army of 490,000 will be fundamentally different and more capable than the Army of 2001, which was composed of 482,000 Soldiers.

Following the initial release of data, General Raymond Odierno told reporters that he is comfortable with the reduction recommendations and the time is strategically right to reduce forces, especially since the new long term planning strategy of DOD does not call for large-scale ground wars and the resulting "end strenght" of the Armed forces will be more effective than now because of the introduction and use of new technologies along with the fact that today's troops are combat-seasoned from 10 years of war.

With the Army slated to cut 80,000 soldiers through attrition and other means during the next six years, a lapsed force management tool, signed into law 31 December 2011, allows military branches to offer retirement to some personnel at 15 years, instead of the standard 20.

Although the Army has not announced when or if it will implement the option, the Navy plans on allowing a certain number of enlisted sailors to apply for it. The Army last exercised this option during the force reduction of the 1990s. Aaccording to Army records, between 1992 and 2002, 16,255 active-duty soldiers opted for early retirement,

If branches reinstate the option in a format similar to last time, it won't be available to everyone. Usually, they do it in overage skills areas or do it for people who have been passed over once for promotion - those who are somewhat less competitive. For example, if acceted for the early retirement action, a soldier with 15 years of service would get 37.5 percent of his average end salary, minus 5 percent of that total.

"Doctrine 2015" Is Shaping The Army

On 23 February, General Robert Cone, commanding general of US Army Training and Doctrine Command, spoke on a variety of initiatives in shaping the future of the Army during the AUSA Winter Symposium at Fort Lauderdale, FL.

General Cone began his presentation by addressing the challenges of the future operational environment and identifying the hybrid strategy used by nation states and surrogates to draw the US into conflict by indicating "These forces recognize that conventional confrontation with the US is, in fact, a losing proposition. They understand our vulnerabilities. They are on their home terrain, and they will use non-traditional capabilities to the greatest extent possible - not in a random way, but in a designed way to address US vulnerabilities".

General Cone continued - "The goal of the enemy is to frustrate US operations and turn conflict into a protracted war of attrition with the goal of affecting the nation’s resolve". He then focused on TRADOC to develop people and ideas, and building organizations to meet these challenges and outlined the need to ensure the operational knowledge these leaders have acquired during the last 10 years of war is not lost and is captured in the guiding doctrines of the Army.

To that end, General Cone noted that TRADOC is leading an effort called "Doctrine 2015" that provides the Army with a common professional language within a new, simplified and holistic doctrinal framework. The goal is to create a top-to-bottom hierarchy, or echelon, of publications and manuals that provide top-level, easy-to-read doctrinal principals, with supporting references that increase in length and depth of information. Doctrine 2015 will make these references available at the point of need through interactive media such as mobile applications.

Another task that TRADOC is addressing is how to make home station training more realistic and similar to training received at Combat Training Centers (CTC). General Cone also indicated that "he believes battalion commanders would embrace the ability to design and execute training similar to CTCs. If we do not make home station training exciting and relevant,we will pay a price in young leaders exiting the Army because they will not get it or understand the relevance of it."

On 24 February a smnall group (aproximately 55) of advanced party members of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, dressed in the darker Army combat uniforms made for Afghanistan symbolizing "the promise of greater things to come" following the "first, historic deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division to Afghanistan." In its mission, the 1st Cavalry Division has the lead position in guiding the coalition forces and civilian entities that compose Combined Joint Task Force-1 in the country's Regional Command-East, headquartered at Bagram Airbase.

More troops are expected at the end of March, with most expected home in April,The soldiers who arrived Friday left shortly before a rash of riots erupted across the country in response to the inadvertent burning of Qurans at the airbase Monday evening. The Public Affairs director for the regional command, indicated that "all remaining 1st Cavalry Division soldiers "are safe and indeed accounted for in Eastern Afghanistan." Afghan security forces are providing security outside Bagram's gates and talking to local leaders to maintain a calm environment.