v.1.0 November 30, 2003
Forwarded by Joseph Stefula
Consistent with the Nov. 6 announcement about troop rotation, the secretary of defense has
approved the alert notifications of 4,228 Army, 1,290 Navy and 2,381 Air Force
reserve component personnel for the second rotation of Operation Iraqi Freedom
(OIF-2). This brings the total Guard and Reserve personnel that have been
alerted for OIF-2 to 66,531.
The
secretary of defense also approved yesterday the mobilization of 9,900 Army,
1,290 Navy and 3,208 Air Force reserve component personnel for OIF-2.
This brings the total Guard and Reserve personnel mobilized for OIF-2 to
56,504.
The secretary of defense has authorized the Marine Corps to
deploy an additional three battalions with corresponding combat support and
combat service support units for operations in support of OIF- 2. These
battalions will bring the total number of brigades for OIF-2 to 14. The
decision to deploy these additional units is the result of further detail
planning for OIF-2.
The secretary of defense also approved the alert notifications of
567 Army, 100 Marine Corps and five Air Force reserve component personnel for
the fifth rotation of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF-5). This brings the
total Guard and Reserve personnel that have been alerted for OEF-5 to 4603.
The secretary of defense also approved the mobilization of 2,955
Army, 100 Marine Corps and 5 Air Force reserve component personnel for
OEF-5. A total of 6,906 Guard and Reserve personnel have been mobilized
for OEF-5.
This announcement is
intended to foster the orderly and systematic rotation of troops into and out
of the Central Command area of operations. This rotation is designed to
allow for the maximum overlap between forces currently deployed and replacement
units. This plan provides the capabilities required for the missions
defined by the combatant commander.
The Ready Reserve
includes members of both the Reserves and National Guard. As previously
announced, deploying Reserve Component Army soldiers can expect to be mobilized
for up to 18 months and be in theater for up to 12 months. Reserve
Component Marines can expect to be mobilized for up to one year and be in
theater for up to seven months. Those Service members serving in theater
for 12 months are eligible to participate in the R&R Leave program between
the end of their third month and before the start of their 11th month in
theater. The total length of mobilization is dependent on the
requirements of the combatant commander and the need for pre-deployment
training and post-deployment requirements.
These
alerts and mobilizations are consistent with our principle that we alert early
to provide predictability and make sure that families and employers and others
have a sense of ground truth, but mobilize as late as possible, still ensuring
that training can be accomplished and arrival in theater by the latest arrival
date that the commander requests. DoD will continue to release
information each Wednesday at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/ announcing
those units on active duty. For more information on this announcement, contact
Lt. Col. Dan Stoneking at (703) 695-0195.