101st Airborne beginning to deploy to Iraq, again

The movement of the 101st and 159th Aviation Brigades and the division’s four combat brigades — more than 20,000 troops — will be carried out in stages possibly through November, Army officials said.

About 3,600 troops from Fort Campbell are already in Iraq or on the way, including hospital and artillery forces that are not part of the 101st, Fort Campbell spokesman John Minton said on Friday.

Another 375 troops from the 101st Sustainment Brigade that supports the division’s combat and aviation brigades have been deployed since mid-August, Minton said. About 50 soldiers from the support brigade left earlier in August.

Minton said security has been increased around the military post to coincide with the upcoming troop movements. He said no combat brigades have deployed yet.

About 19,000 soldiers from the division deployed to Iraq in 2003. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, the division was assigned to the Mosul area of northern Iraq.

In the upcoming deployment, the 101st will replace units under the command of the Army’s 42nd Division, said Lt. Col Ed Loomis, a spokesman for the 101st.

The 42nd Division is operating out of Tikrit in north central Iraq, according to the Army’s Central Command.

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Information from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com