Reply #10: And then there's this..... [View All]

[Oilwellian]

September 25, 2006


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army has extended the combat tours of about 4,000 soldiers who would otherwise be returning home, a defense official said Monday.

The 1st Brigade of 1st Armored Division, which is operating in the vicinity of
Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, will be kept in place for several weeks beyond their scheduled departure, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced by the Pentagon.

The brigade's home base is in Germany. The soldiers' families were notified of the extension Monday, the official said.

The brigade has about 4,000 soldiers in Iraq. They were scheduled to be there a maximum of 12 months, but they are not the first to be extended.

In late July the Army extended the Iraq tour of the Alaska-based 172nd Stryker Brigade. About 300 soldiers from that unit had returned home and were required to go back to Iraq. The brigade is now operating in Baghdad.

The 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division was extended to allow its replacement unit, from the 3rd Infantry Division, the minimum 12 months between overseas tours, the official said. The 3rd Infantry has served two tours in Iraq, including the initial invasion of the country in March 2003.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/25/iraq.troops.ap/index.html