Topic: Another Army brigade's tour in Iraq has been extended

Team Infidel

Media: The Associated Press
Byline: By ROBERT BURNS
Date: 25 September 2006


WASHINGTON_In a new sign of mounting strain from the war in Iraq, the U.S.
Army has extended the combat tours of about 4,000 soldiers who would
otherwise be returning home, a defense official said Monday.

The 1st Brigade of 1st Armored Division, which is operating in the vicinity
of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, will be kept in place for several
weeks beyond their scheduled departure, the official said. The official
spoke only on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been
announced by the Defense Department.

The brigade's home base is in Friedberg,Germany. The soldiers' families were
notified of the extension Monday, the official said.

The brigade has about 4,000 soldiers in Iraq.

In late July the Army extended the Iraq tour of the Alaska-based 172nd
Stryker Brigade. About 300 soldiers from that unit had already returned home
and were required to go back to Iraq. The brigade is now operating in
Baghdad.

The 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division was extended in order to allow
its replacement unit, from the 3rd Infantry Division, the minimum 12 months
between overseas tours, the official said. The 3rd Infantry has already
served two tours in Iraq, including the initial invasion of the country in
March 2003.

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