Stryker Brigade News

More capable air assets, a Patriot-3 brigade, rotating Stryker battalions, and far better command, control, computers, communications and intelligence facilities more than make up for the drop of U.S. troops in South Korea to 34,000, the official said.

"Ongoing global posture review is strengthening our position in Asia and Korea," said Richard Lawless, deputy defense undersecretary for Asia-Pacific policy. "This strengthened global and regional posture, including our efforts under way in Korea to realign U.S. forces and enhance our capabilities, allows us to employ our forces worldwide in a more flexible manner."

Lawless said that if needed, the United States can quickly augment air and naval presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Officials said Korean and Japanese leaders were informed of and agreed with the U.S. decision send the 2nd Brigade, 2ID to Iraq. They said it is part of the overall look at U.S. global posture.

The troops will spend one year in Iraq. Since military tours of Korea are typically one-year unaccompanied tours, some soldiers will spend up to two years separated from their families. Officials said the majority will spend between 12 and 18 months away from home. No decision has been made on whether the brigade will return to Korea following its tour of duty in Iraq.

A senior military official said the troops are fully combat ready, and that this will allow the stress to be "balanced" throughout the force. He said DoD also is looking at changing the tour length of Marine forces assigned to Iraq. Currently, Marines spend seven months in Iraq and seven months home.

Troops of the 2nd Brigade, 2ID, now stationed near the demilitarized zone in Korea, will begin deploying to Iraq in mid-summer, a senior DoD official said.

The 3rd Brigade of the 2nd ID, also known as the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, has been in northern Iraq since early this year. The SBCT deployed to Iraq from its home base of Fort Lewis, Wash., in November. The brigade became part of "Task Force Olympia" early this year and took over operational control of northern Iraqi provinces Feb. 5 from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul.

This summer's deployment of the 2nd Brigade will place two of 2nd Infantry Division's three brigades in Iraq. The 1st Brigade of the 2ID will remain in Korea.