Fairbanks-based Stryker Brigade ready for challenges in Iraq
Published Thursday, September 11, 2008
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FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska -- They have trained in 55 below and 120 above, but in the coming weeks, the more than 4,000 men and women that make up the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry, will face their toughest challenge of all as they head to Iraq for a 12-month tour.
Thousands of family members and well-wishers gathered at Fort Wainwright just outside Fairbanks on Thursday afternoon to say goodbye to their loved ones heading to Iraq as part of the largest military deployment in Alaska history. The ceremony was also attended by Alaska Lt. Gov Sean Parnell and Gov. Sarah Palin, who spoke briefly. Palin’s oldest son Track is also part of the 1-25th.
“This wolf pack of thousands of warriors, they’re going to fly from this beauty of Alaska and the warmth of their dinners at home and they’re going to land in a war zone where the enemy is fighting us,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Layfield, the commanding general of U.S. Army Alaska. “They’re trying to hurt our country and they’re trying to hurt our families. You are looking at over 4,000 reasons as to why that will never happen.”
It was no accident that the deployment ceremony was scheduled on the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. Col. Burt Thompson made a point of connecting the attacks to the current war in Iraq and the global War on Terror.
“On this day our brigade pays respect to and honors the thousands of Americans who lost their lives during the attack on our great nation,” Thompson said. “To the soldiers standing here today, this day is not only about remembrance. This day serves most importantly as a call to duty.”
The ceremony, which lasted more than an hour, included remarks from several Army commanders, as well as the casing of the colors which will be unfurled when the brigade arrives in Iraq, and the pass and review of all 4,000 troops that make up the brigade.
Twenty soldiers from 13 different countries including Mexico and the Philippines also took the oath of citizenship Thursday. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, President Bush signed an executive order that provides a fast track to citizenship for foreigners legally in the country who enlist in the armed forces.
For many of the soldiers at Thursday’s ceremony, this will be a return trip to Iraq. About half the 1-25th is made up of soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, the Fort Wainwright unit which had an extended 16-month tour in Iraq in 2005 and 2006.
The reflagging of the unit provided a unique opportunity for the 172nd veterans.
“I challenged them to take the combat experience they had from 14 months in Iraq, take that knowledge, those skills and abilities and apply them to the new problem set, which is a bunch of brand new soldiers that are counting on them to stand up to plate and train, and they’ve done that,” Thompson said. “And I’m quite proud of them.”
Staff Sgt. Jason Jones was previously deployed to Iraq as part of the 172nd. He has since become a squad leader, and said he takes the new responsibility of training soldiers seriously.
“I want to make sure they get the best training that they can get to where everybody can come home,” he said. “I want them to realize their chain of command is watching out for them.”
To see video of the deployment ceremony, click here.
Community Discussion
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To all of our Soldiers, be safe and accomplish the mission! Your families love you, you will be missed!
Love to all....A Stryker Commanders Wife!
May God bless each of you and your families. Thank you for your service to our country and I will pray that you return home safely to us.
Strykers I wish you the best in this deployment.:)
We look forward to welcoming you and the other units back next year once again.:)
It will be a LONG cold winter without you. Stay strong, and we will stay strong with you! All of us will be praying for your safe return.
Godspeed!!
Thank you & Blessing to each & everyone of you. Peace be with you, & may you see peace grow fruitfully on your journey.
Please remember to always be respectful and considerate of the Iraqi people and government. You are their guests. You are working for them.
God bless and Godspeed to all of the deploying soldiers and all of the family members who are saying "good-bye".
Please remember to come home safe and enjoy working with the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government.
Be safe, Be strong. Our hearts are with each everyone of you.
Be strong SON!!!
Imusuallyright..
Are you serious? They know their job. That is something that you do not have to remind them of....
I have to agree with mikegolf.....
I will miss my brothers and sisters in arms. I will be praying for their safe return.
Golfie-
Nope, that is something they need to be reminded of every day.
They also know to "Stay safe." Instinct dictates that safety will be their utmost concern... yet everyone wants to type empty sentiment like that.
So, to those who are deploying: be professional, be humble, and be respectful. All the time.
"Please remember to always be respectful and considerate of the Iraqi people and government. You are their guests. You are working for them."
When the Iraqi Army and Police step up to do their jobs, our soldiers can come home. They are not the guests of the Iraqi Government or People; they are there as warriors and their first priority is to obey the orders of the Officers and NCOs appointed over them.
If they do their job the way they been trained, they can come home (I sincerely pray they make it home alive and in one piece (and not broken in mind or spirit). The Iraqis who respect them will get their respect in return (AND THOSE WHO WOULD KILL AMERICAN SOLDIERS DON'T DESERVE THEIR RESPECT OR PROTECTION)!
Now I know how little most of you people understand. I think I knew before, but DIS, you sealed the deal.
(Thanks for checking your grammar this time.)
God Bless all of you US Army Soldiers and families on this deployment and always......All of us down here in New Mexico and Texas are thinking of and praying for you. Take care of yourselve and each other.
The Martin Family
Be safe Brandon we all LOVE you mom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7lY1gaIp...
Don't tell me this kind of (relatively tame-- much worse abounds) stuff is an isolated incident.
"Please remember to always be respectful and considerate of the Iraqi people and government. You are their guests. You are working for them."
That is about the most condescending a comment I have read on here. I hope it makes you feel better.
Imusuallybitter:
why dont YOU show these men and women 'respect and consideration'..they protect YOUR right to admonish THEM..typical fat, bitchy, liberal...give 'em hell guys...
Let me remind everyone to stay on topic and keep the tone civil.
Thanks Julie...please remember who subverted the thread (as she usually does when ANYTHING pertains to the Soldiers).
Good luck in protecting your own and the Iraqis, Strikers. See ya in a year or so.
IUR,
"Don't tell me this kind of... stuff is an isolated incident."
OK, I won't. The fact is that I don't know whether it's 'isolated' or not (and, frankly, I don't care if it is). The husband of a friend and former co-worker had a friend die LITERALLY in his arms a couple of years ago. I DON'T CARE if they induced the children into running after their vehicle for water!
I care about soldiers cradling their wounded and dying brother-soldiers in their arms because of murderers not all that different from these 'children'. There have been 'child' soldiers in ALMOST every major conflict since the beginning of time (and those wars/conflicts that didn't were the exception rather than the rule). Children (especially in Muslim nations) are unpredictable and are therefore extremely dangerous.
What the video shows is the thoughtless act of some soldiers who may have lost friends from stopping at places where they now know they shouldn't have stopped. Again, whether it's isolated or not is irrevelant! The military and the government have more important things to do than to track down your miscreants and make them say "Sorry"...
Thanks, Julie.
I imagine your job must be difficult. For you, I won't engage these folks further today... although I'd love to.
Allan -- my comment was a pre-emptive strike, so to speak. Just a reminder to everyone to adhere to the user agreement. Thanks for your response.
As a proud, "brainwashed" person, I am happy to once again disagree with Allan and IUR. But, it is always nice to see Allan come to the rescue in yet another thread where her viewpoint is disagreed with - chivalry isn't dead. It's too bad that you both find it necessary to remind trained and professional men and women what their job is - they don't need you acting as their parents any more than you need Julie acting as yours.
Let it be known as well: The military absolutely protects your rights, your freedom by serving and protecting this country. You've been brainwashed into believing they don't.
Take care, soldiers.
Dana-
I'm not the kinda girl who needs or likes to be "rescued". In defending my views, Allan is likely defending his own, not "me".
Fair enuff, IUR. Point heard.
Like it or not, IMR is right. It's about being professional over there. Those soldiers know their tasks, all of them, and one of those tasks are to be professional representatives of our nation.
We will miss you Daddy Sgt... come home safe. We love you~!!! wife and kids
Be the kind of men and women that we know you are and we don't have to tell you how to act in iraq. May God bless all of you be safe be strong and hurry home.
ONE PROUD MON
letter from my brother (a ranger) tells me that the war is now in afghanistan and not iraq. be careful!
My understanding is these guys are going to take the place of my sons unit(2'nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment) who have served in Iraq since August of 2007. Be safe and smart,and as I always tell my son watchurtopknot! No matter your political beliefs, these are brave men and women who have answered a call that they heard and they will always have my utmost respect. To loved ones of the deploying troops.......nothing will calm your fears and ease the sleepless nights, but have faith that they will return. I know around the end of October one Texas dad who will sleep a little better at night. It will come for you too in time. Just remember guys......WATCHURTOPKNOTS!
I read all these comments and think " how many of these people making some of these comments are in the situation of a military spouse or service member?" I know that my husband will show respect to the Iraqi people. In as much I hope if he feels threatened he does what he has to do to come home to me our daughter and our unborn baby. These service members they have a job to do. Not all of them will even agree that we have reason to be there and the reason we did have has been resolved. Most join to defend the country they live in, not go kill people cause its fun. But when they are told go do this and they are faced with "kill or be killed" what you do?.. That is all I wanna say. Say what you want but please remember we have family over there doing a job and we love them no matter what they have to do.. Good job guys come home safe to us we are all waiting for u!!!!!!!!
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