Home for the holidays: Vanguard Soldiers prepare to depart Iraq

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

11.10.2008

Story by Spc. Sophia Klevemann 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Spc. Sophia R. Lopez
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Successful operations have led to a more secure environment in the Babil Province, and the Soldiers deployed there for the past year can now look forward to going home sooner than they once thought – the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division is planning to redeploy early.

The brigade began deploying to Iraq in October 2007, and is trying to get Soldiers home by middle to late December.

"Both our Soldiers and their wonderful Families have made enormous sacrifices during this deployment, and so it is extremely gratifying to be able to tell them we are planning to return home earlier than originally expected," said Col. Thomas James, of Greenville, S.C., 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. commander. "We are working with both 10th Mountain Div. command here in Iraq and 3rd Inf. Div. command at home at Fort Stewart to execute a redeployment and reintegration plan with the goal of allowing Soldiers as much time as possible with their Families over the holidays once they return home. Although our mission here is not yet over, as long as there is no change to the situation on the ground here in Iraq, our Soldiers can anticipate reuniting with their Families soon and enjoying the hero's welcome they so richly deserve."

Maj. Mike Adams, of West Bridgewater, Mass., 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. assistant S-3, is in charge of making this happen.

"Imagine your permanent change of station move," said Adams. "You have to fill out paperwork, and then the moving truck guys are going to show. Before they get there, someone's going to come to your house and inspect all your stuff and get an idea of how big a truck they're going to need. Then, they wrap everything up, inventory it, and all this takes a couple of days to do. Now, try and do that for 3,700 people and 2,000 pieces of equipment."

As hectic as this process might be, Adams still knows how to coordinate it all and get everyone home. The movement of equipment and Soldiers from Forward Operating Base Falcon, FOB Kalsu, FOB Iskan and Convoy Support Center Scania will travel a long journey and process to get back to Fort Stewart, Ga.

From each FOB or CSC, Soldiers arrive at Baghdad International Airport to fly into Kuwait, where they will go through customs and receive briefs about the process for getting home.

"We want to make sure the Soldiers know what's going on, what's happening to them," said Adams. "We treat them like heroes returning home from war, not like meat that's got to get moved."
The process in Kuwait can take a couple of days. All the equipment will have to go through customs and vehicles through cleaning in order to ship them back to the U.S.

Once Soldiers arrive at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., they will conduct initial processing and be bused to Ft. Stewart. Families will be notified in advance of the Soldier's arrival, so they can participate in their Welcome Home Ceremony on Cottrell Field. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Soldiers will be granted a pass prior to conducting reintegration training. Upon completion of this training, all Vanguard Soldiers will be afforded the opportunity to take 30 days of leave.

Before all that can happen, the brigade must complete a few more tasks. Redeployment at the company level requires Soldiers to take a series of classes, briefings and receive all the proper immunizations as well as pack up their personal belongings and equipment to take back to Fort Stewart. Redeployment packets and leave forms are completed in theater as well.

Fortunately, the packing process has changed with the change in units replacing the Vanguard Brigade.

"For awhile there, we weren't going to have somebody to change out with," said 1st Sgt. Brett Waterhouse, of Gainesville, Fla., first sergeant for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. "It was going to be one battalion replacing an entire brigade and very few pieces of equipment and people coming here to this particular place."

Originally, the brigade was supposed to turn in their office equipment, and the next unit would check out what they needed.

"Now, it's actually going to be a lot easier," said Waterhouse. "Instead of packing a lot of stuff up, they are going to come in like we did and take over [our equipment]. It should actually be a lot smoother transition. As far as speeding up the process, it's really not affecting us. I think it's really affecting them more than it's affecting us because it's really only a 20-day shift for us."

Some Soldiers, although happy to be going home early, feel they could have soldiered on for the extra month if needed.

"It's good they are trying to get everyone home to see their Families," said Spc. Ashley Wisinski, of Detroit, supply clerk/armorer, HHC, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. "Another month wouldn't have killed me, but it's good news that we are going home early."

Initial elements of the brigade will depart Iraq in late November followed by the main body departing in December.

"The 8th Iraqi Army Division and Babil Province Iraqi police are incredibly capable and have been in the lead for all security measures across the province since the transition to Provincial Iraqi Control," said Adams.

The IP and IA will continue to take responsibility for the security in Babil Province once 4th BCT leaves.

• Date Taken: 11.10.2008
• Date Posted: 11.10.2008 10:44
• Story ID: 26155
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ