This is straight from HQ Marine Corps Public Affairs:
...“We will deploy approximately 25,000 Marines and Sailors to Iraq,” said Col Doug Stilwell, Deputy Director of Operations Division, Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps. “We’re talking about nine maneuver battalions and required combat support and combat service support.”
As usual, the Marines will operate in an organic Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The Corps contribution to OIF-II will occur in two seven-month rotations. The first rotation is expected to be from March to September of 2004. The second rotation is expected to be from September 2004 to March 2005. The Corps will send a division-sized Marine Air Ground Task Force to Iraq with the preponderance of units coming from the I Marine Expeditionary Force, headquartered at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The Marines will primarily relieve the Army’s 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment and 82nd Airborne Division...