DoD ANNOUNCEMENT

DoD Announces Force Adjustments

The Department of Defense announced today the alert of replacement forces scheduled to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The announcement involves three brigades from the Army National Guard consisting of approximately 8,000 personnel.

These brigades will have a security force mission and be assigned tasks which will assure freedom of movement and continuity of operations in the country. Those tasks will include base defense and route security in Iraq and Kuwait.

These units are currently scheduled to begin deployment in the summer of 2009. They are receiving alert orders now in order to provide them the maximum time to complete their preparations. It also provides a greater measure of predictability for family members and flexibility for employers to plan for military service of their employees.

Specific units alerted are:

32nd Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin National Guard
41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon National Guard
155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi National Guard

Unit deployments reflect the continued commitment of the United States to the security of the Iraqi people. The Department recognizes the continued sacrifices of these units and their family members.

DoD will continue to announce major unit deployments as they are identified and those units are alerted. For information on the units announced today or other units involved in this rotation, please contact Mississippi National Guard Public Affairs at (601) 313-6271, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs at (503) 584-3886 or Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs at (608) 242-3050.

U. S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)