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4th BCT gets deployment schedule
lynchmuggood
MG Rick Lynch

The much-discussed deployment schedule for the 3rd ID’s 4th Brigade now seems set for late October, with trailing elements not arriving in Iraq until early November.
The 4th “Vanguard” Brigade is not a part of Pres. George Bush’s surge of extra troops into Iraq, although for a while it looked it might be.
When Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, his headquarters and other elements of the division had their deployment dates advanced to put more boots on the ground, the 4th BCT was prepared for orders to head for Iraq in July. That didn’t happen.
The division’s 1st BCT has been in Iraq since January, and with the surge the headquarters and the 2nd and 3rd Brigades had their movements to Iraq pushed up by about three months. The Sustainment and Aviation brigades also deployed to Iraq.
In this atmosphere, there were rumors the Vanguard Brigade might have its original September departure moved up to June or July so it could form part of the surge.
Before those plans were completed, or any orders issued, the 4th BCT was told to return to its September schedule.

And officially, that’s still the plan. But with one of the Vanguard Brigade’s units, the 3-7 Infantry “Cottonbalers” scheduled for gunnery exercises at Fort Stewart in September, it appears unlikely the brigade will be deploying that same month.
Brigade Commander Col. Tom James takes advantage of every minute of training time and said, “If the order comes to go tomorrow, we’re ready to go tomorrow.”
The Vanguard Brigade, the division’s newest, will deploy with the 1-76 Field Artillery, 4-3 Brigade Troops Battalion, 3-7 Infantry, 4-64 Armor, 6-8 Cavalry Squadron, and the 703rd Brigade Support Battalion.
A brigade combat team is considered between 4,000 and 5,000 soldiers.

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