The first waves of nearly 3,500 Oregon National Guard soldiers and the 8,000 trainers and suppport personal who will accompany them have arrived at Fort Stewart, where they will be trained by members of the 188th Infantry Brigade Combat Team for a summer deployment to Iraq.
“As they complete training at Camp Roberts, they will move into our mobilization station,” 188th spokesman Cpt. Charles Patterson said. “They are going to continue coming in over the course of the next few weeks.”
“This is sort of the culmination point,” he said. “Members of the ADVON party are already here.”
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team is expected at be on post in full strength by May 15.
Approximately 500 soldiers will have reached Fort Stewart by the end of this weekend.
Already, Fort Stewart has dropped the speed limits from 55 to 45 miles per hour along highways 144 and 119 in preparation for the brigade’s training exercises.
Lt. Col. Valerie Meadows, safety officer with 188th, said the public will need to be vigilant.
“During the training period, soldiers will be out there every single day. We want to give all the soldiers here, the 3rd Infantry Division and the 41st, the safest training we can get them. We are asking the public to be alert and aware as they drive on post.
“Safety is just very, very important, not only for our soldiers, but for all the members of the community,” she said.
During the mobilization phase, Meadows said convoys will be going on and off post, increasing the volume of traffic on the roadways.
“They are going to be turning on and off roads and we’re trying very, very hard to make sure everyone knows,” she said. “We don’t want people trying to a pass a Humvee and then it tries to make a turn.”
The lower speed limit will remain in effect until the brigade completes its training mission and leaves for Iraq in July.
“As they complete training at Camp Roberts, they will move into our mobilization station,” 188th spokesman Cpt. Charles Patterson said. “They are going to continue coming in over the course of the next few weeks.”
“This is sort of the culmination point,” he said. “Members of the ADVON party are already here.”
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team is expected at be on post in full strength by May 15.
Approximately 500 soldiers will have reached Fort Stewart by the end of this weekend.
Already, Fort Stewart has dropped the speed limits from 55 to 45 miles per hour along highways 144 and 119 in preparation for the brigade’s training exercises.
Lt. Col. Valerie Meadows, safety officer with 188th, said the public will need to be vigilant.
“During the training period, soldiers will be out there every single day. We want to give all the soldiers here, the 3rd Infantry Division and the 41st, the safest training we can get them. We are asking the public to be alert and aware as they drive on post.
“Safety is just very, very important, not only for our soldiers, but for all the members of the community,” she said.
During the mobilization phase, Meadows said convoys will be going on and off post, increasing the volume of traffic on the roadways.
“They are going to be turning on and off roads and we’re trying very, very hard to make sure everyone knows,” she said. “We don’t want people trying to a pass a Humvee and then it tries to make a turn.”
The lower speed limit will remain in effect until the brigade completes its training mission and leaves for Iraq in July.