You may remember the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, homebased at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Some four months ago, the Soldiers of the 172nd prepared to return home after serving a year in Iraq, many had one foot on the plane, literally, others had already made it home when the order came down to extend the brigade’s mission in Iraq. Now after 16-months, the 172nd is again preparing to return home.
The 3,800 soldiers of the 172nd spent the first 12 months of their deployment in Mosul. As they prepared to come home, they were notified that their deployment had been extended for four months, and they moved their operations to Baghdad.
As of Monday afternoon, 1,454 soldiers on five flights had returned to Alaska, Gohlke said. The first group of soldiers arrived on Saturday.
The welcome-home ceremony for the troops will be at the Carlson Center at Fort Wainwright. Officials expect there will be limited seating for the general public. Those who can’t attend the ceremony can attend a welcome-home party sponsored by the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce. The party is scheduled for noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Carlson Center.
In addition to the welcome-home events, there will be a change of command and reflagging ceremony at 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Carlson Center. The 172nd’s brigade commander and all battalion commanders will relinquish command to their successors, and the 172nd SBCT will become the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. All the brigade’s battalions will receive new designations.
This would explain the uncharacterisic rise in temperatures recently experienced in Alaska. Welcome home Arctic Wolves, well done! Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 1248 zulu | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Army Times & GWOT & Heroes
