Army's 3rd Division returns to Iraq

The Washington Times ^ | February 26, 2005 | Rowan Scarborough

[neverdem]

---

The Washington Timeswww.washingtontimes.com

---

Army's 3rd Division returns to Iraq

By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published February 26, 2005

---

The Army's 3rd Infantry Division is back in Iraq, 22 months after it stormed the country from Kuwait and was the first U.S. unit to penetrate downtown Baghdad to oust Saddam Hussein.

    The Fort Stewart, Ga.-based division has a new commander and a whole new combat configuration. Of its roughly 20,000 soldiers, about 50 percent participated in the invasion and subsequent occupation that saw a rise in lawlessness and a burgeoning insurgency.

    "Our soldiers, for the most part, feel like this is the right thing to do," said Maj. Gen. William Webster, the 3rd Infantry commander, who was deputy commander of all U.S. ground forces during the drive to Baghdad.

    "They understand that the mission is not complete," he said at a Baghdad press conference. "It wasn't complete when we left the first time. They were very happy to have 15 to 18 months back home with their families, and they're proud to be back here serving in the U.S. Army again, to help the Iraqi people get control of their country."

    Gen. Webster's troops are returning to a changed landscape, politically and militarily.

    The Iraqis now run the government in a transition that ends with the convening of a national assembly that will elect new leaders. The Iraqi armed forces and police, disbanded after Baghdad fell April 9, have been reconstituted and now number more than 135,000.

    And an insurgency that seemed sporadic when the 3rd Division left in 2003 is a powerful killing force that attacks at any time, 40...

[neverdem]

Thank you very much!

[neverdem]

You cna click on the UA names & see that each UA has 2 maneuver bns & 1 cav/recon sqdrn versus the previous 3 maneuver bns

They don't have a cav/recon sqdrn(squadron). They have a cav/recon troop. That's the same difference, for practical purposes, as the difference between a battalion and a company.

Please forgive the correction. Again, thanks for the link!

[mark502inf]

They don't have a cav/recon sqdrn(squadron). They have a cav/recon troop

The duty officer at Fiddler's Green does not look very happy at that news.