Fort Lewis soldiers deploying to Iraq

WASHINGTON -- Six Army brigades, including two from Fort Lewis, a National Guard unit and three military headquarters have been ordered to Iraq next year in a move that would allow the U.S. to keep the number of troops largely steady there through much of next year.

The planned deployments involve about 26,000 troops and would maintain 14 combat brigades in Iraq from about February to early fall.

The deployment involves about 10,000 Fort Lewis soldiers. A spokeswoman said they are members of the I Corps headquarters unit, and the 3rd and 5th Stryker brigades.

Maj. Kathleen Turner says this is the first combat deployment for the I Corps headquarter unit since the Korean War. She says it will take over in Baghdad as the command and control for multinational units in Iraq.

This will be the first deployment for the 5th Stryker brigade and the third for the 3rd Stryker brigade.

President Bush announced earlier this month that the U.S. will withdraw about 8,000 U.S. troops from Iraq by February, with about half leaving before the end of 2008. The number of combat brigades in Iraq will remain at the current 15 through January, when one will leave and not be replaced.

There are now about 152,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

The other units ordered to deploy are:

• 1st Cavalry Division headquarters, Ft. Hood, Texas



• 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters, Camp Lejeune, N.C.



• 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas



• 4th Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.



• 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.



• 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.



• 115th Fires Brigade, a National Guard artillery unit from Cheyenne, Wyo..