Nearly 300 of the 3,800 member Stryker Brigade Combat Team will leave Alaska today, headed for the Iraqi theater.
The brigade, stationed at Forts Wainwright and Richardson, will be deployed incrementally throughout August. An advance team of 70 soldiers from Fort Richardson and about 200 from Fort Wainwright will leave separately on Sunday. The advance party will arrive in Kuwait to coordinate preparation for the rest of the brigade. A rear detachment will be maintained at Fort Wainwright to handle administrative tasks.
Comments For "First Stryker Brigade soldiers leave for Iraq today":
Spouses- Stay strong! I have 2 months to go until my husband gets back. Stay busy and it will go by faster. Get involved in the FRG for support. And most importantly, PRAY! I will pray for all of you. You WILL get through this!
my boyfriend is leaving today...very sad...but i am trying to keep myself busy while he is gone...excited to see him on his R&R. Thanx for all your prayer...all the soldier over there on are in my prayers.
Soldiers and famlies...America will be praying for you till you return home to your loved ones and familes are reunited again!! May you all keep your faith and hold tight to one another!!
GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES!!
Thanks all. I love the "Frozen Chosen" comment! We'll make you all proud. Be strong, we'll all see it through. Thanks to 1-25 for "holding it down" for the past year. You all deserve the hero's welcome you will get.
As we anxiously await our soldiers coming home, we will worry and pray with all the families of the soldiers leaving, and preparing to leave. Stand proud soldiers, and know we, here at home are behind you all the way.
Some good friends of mine flew out of here today. Remember the ARTIC STAR will be thinking of you and holding you close to its heart. Prayers for you and yours, Godspeed.
MOM
My heart is with all the families that have and are going to start their deployment. Mine is almost done and all I can pass on to other spouses and loved ones is stay busy, don't let the little things get to you, and most importantly keep in contact with your loved one via email, snail mail anyway you can, send send send lots of packages. It helps you and it helps your soldier stay in the game.
Keep your hearts together and never will you be alone. You all will be in my thoughts as I end my year and you begin yours. My heart will break everytime I hear bad news and I will cry for yours as I have cried for all of ours.
We are a family all of us in this wonderful military and a shoulder is a shoulder in a time of need whether its a friend or another military spouse who understands.
Keep your faith and you will get through this.
Good Luck
And to the soldiers Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for serving our wonderful country. Stay safe and keep your head down.
My heart is with all of the families, I will pray for you and all of your loved ones as I have for my son and his comrades thislast year. It has been difficult some times more than others. Fort Lewis has had too many fallen heroes and my heart ached everytime I had to read it. I have been in contact with Moms and a few Dads through the Stryker news and it has been a blessing to get to know every last one of them and a relief at times to talk with those that know it all best. Lots of prayers and e-mails and packages will let your soldiers feel a little peice of comfort from back home. May God Bless all of you and keep your soldier from harms way.
I give it to the soldiers coming to replace us and I hope that you all keep holdin' it down here in Mosul. I am with 'deuce four' of 1-25 SBCT that is here now. We've had our ups and downs, but just remember that 'winners don't quit, quitters don't win' and show the insurgents that we Americans AREN'T GOING TO QUIT! I will see you all when you get here.
I know your hearts are heavy right now...ours are too as we "watch" more of our heros headed into the unknown for them. But as we have seen several times before, they continue to make our nation proud!! We will be praying them home as we have before and we will be waving our flags high!!! Thank you all...soldiers, family and friends for making this nation what it is today! God speed!!!!
you will be in my everyday thoughts and prayers...please continue to stay positive and proactive and your time in iraq will pass by quickly....we are so very proud of you....america is so proud of you.....god bless you richly and keep you safe....
Good luck to all 172 SBCT soldiers headed over here to Iraq. All of us in 1-25 wish you all the best in everything you do over here. We met and exceeded people's expectations over here and we expect nothing less from you! We've been holding it down for you guys for the last year and we are ready to relenquish controls over to you. Be sure to take pride in everything you do over here, grow as a unit and as an individual. You are going to do wonderfully over here. I look forward to seeing all your faces over here..and be sure to bring some sunscreen it's HOT!!! To the spouses, children, girlfriends/boyfriends of all the soldiers coming over here - be sure to stay busy - it's the best way to make that year go by fast. A word of advice to the soldiers - when you come over here...the first couple months are rough because all you think about is going home...but it goes quickly once you get yourself into a routine of doing things. You all will be just fine. :) Take care!
From the hearts of parents of a SBCT 25th ID soldier, we say thank you to those who are deploying to relieve the Ft. Lewis Stryker Brigade. May God bless all of you and keep you from harm's way. Our prayers are with all of you and we thank you for your service to our beloved America, where we are blessed with freedom thanks to those who serve so willingly. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the families and loved ones. Stay strong, do not underestimate the power of prayer and be proud of your soldier! Gods Speed to all of you.
May God keep you all safe and thank you for doing a great job to give us the freedom. All of us will be praying daily for your safe return. To the families who love ones are coming home be sure and tell them you love them and so do the
American people. God bless you all.
Comments For "First Stryker Brigade soldiers leave for Iraq today":
Spouses- Stay strong! I have 2 months to go until my husband gets back. Stay busy and it will go by faster. Get involved in the FRG for support. And most importantly, PRAY! I will pray for all of you. You WILL get through this!
Posted by: Janae | July 31, 2005 9:56 AM
Godspeed Strykers. My prayers that you come home safely to your loved ones.
Posted by: a 3dACR dad | July 31, 2005 12:37 PM
Our thoughts and prayers are with each of the soldiers and the families & friends they leave behind. Take Care & Stay Safe.
Posted by: Shidreamer | July 31, 2005 3:09 PM
My prayers are for your safety and give strentgh to your love ones staying behind. God please protect these brave men and women.
A Stryker Mom
Posted by: Linda | July 31, 2005 4:19 PM
my boyfriend is leaving today...very sad...but i am trying to keep myself busy while he is gone...excited to see him on his R&R. Thanx for all your prayer...all the soldier over there on are in my prayers.
Posted by: Karen | July 31, 2005 6:28 PM
God bless you 172nd!
Kick butt and take names:)
We love the Frozen Chosen.
Mike and Karen Hosko
usmc7680
Yuma, AZ.
Posted by: Mike and Karen | July 31, 2005 7:01 PM
Soldiers and famlies...America will be praying for you till you return home to your loved ones and familes are reunited again!! May you all keep your faith and hold tight to one another!!
GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES!!
Posted by: Janie Voorhis | July 31, 2005 7:27 PM
Thanks all. I love the "Frozen Chosen" comment! We'll make you all proud. Be strong, we'll all see it through. Thanks to 1-25 for "holding it down" for the past year. You all deserve the hero's welcome you will get.
Posted by: Ed | July 31, 2005 9:40 PM
As we anxiously await our soldiers coming home, we will worry and pray with all the families of the soldiers leaving, and preparing to leave. Stand proud soldiers, and know we, here at home are behind you all the way.
Posted by: Johns Stryker Mom | July 31, 2005 9:57 PM
Some good friends of mine flew out of here today. Remember the ARTIC STAR will be thinking of you and holding you close to its heart. Prayers for you and yours, Godspeed.
MOM
Posted by: Ms. B.McCarley | July 31, 2005 10:37 PM
My heart is with all the families that have and are going to start their deployment. Mine is almost done and all I can pass on to other spouses and loved ones is stay busy, don't let the little things get to you, and most importantly keep in contact with your loved one via email, snail mail anyway you can, send send send lots of packages. It helps you and it helps your soldier stay in the game.
Keep your hearts together and never will you be alone. You all will be in my thoughts as I end my year and you begin yours. My heart will break everytime I hear bad news and I will cry for yours as I have cried for all of ours.
We are a family all of us in this wonderful military and a shoulder is a shoulder in a time of need whether its a friend or another military spouse who understands.
Keep your faith and you will get through this.
Good Luck
And to the soldiers Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for serving our wonderful country. Stay safe and keep your head down.
Posted by: Sabrina | August 1, 2005 7:03 AM
My heart is with all of the families, I will pray for you and all of your loved ones as I have for my son and his comrades thislast year. It has been difficult some times more than others. Fort Lewis has had too many fallen heroes and my heart ached everytime I had to read it. I have been in contact with Moms and a few Dads through the Stryker news and it has been a blessing to get to know every last one of them and a relief at times to talk with those that know it all best. Lots of prayers and e-mails and packages will let your soldiers feel a little peice of comfort from back home. May God Bless all of you and keep your soldier from harms way.
Posted by: Patti kaszuba | August 1, 2005 10:13 AM
I give it to the soldiers coming to replace us and I hope that you all keep holdin' it down here in Mosul. I am with 'deuce four' of 1-25 SBCT that is here now. We've had our ups and downs, but just remember that 'winners don't quit, quitters don't win' and show the insurgents that we Americans AREN'T GOING TO QUIT! I will see you all when you get here.
Posted by: deuce four soldier in mosul | August 1, 2005 3:20 PM
I know your hearts are heavy right now...ours are too as we "watch" more of our heros headed into the unknown for them. But as we have seen several times before, they continue to make our nation proud!! We will be praying them home as we have before and we will be waving our flags high!!! Thank you all...soldiers, family and friends for making this nation what it is today! God speed!!!!
Posted by: Susan | August 1, 2005 8:11 PM
you will be in my everyday thoughts and prayers...please continue to stay positive and proactive and your time in iraq will pass by quickly....we are so very proud of you....america is so proud of you.....god bless you richly and keep you safe....
from a soldier's mom 1-24th inf
Posted by: penny | August 2, 2005 12:17 AM
Good luck to all 172 SBCT soldiers headed over here to Iraq. All of us in 1-25 wish you all the best in everything you do over here. We met and exceeded people's expectations over here and we expect nothing less from you! We've been holding it down for you guys for the last year and we are ready to relenquish controls over to you. Be sure to take pride in everything you do over here, grow as a unit and as an individual. You are going to do wonderfully over here. I look forward to seeing all your faces over here..and be sure to bring some sunscreen it's HOT!!! To the spouses, children, girlfriends/boyfriends of all the soldiers coming over here - be sure to stay busy - it's the best way to make that year go by fast. A word of advice to the soldiers - when you come over here...the first couple months are rough because all you think about is going home...but it goes quickly once you get yourself into a routine of doing things. You all will be just fine. :) Take care!
You're in our prayers....
Posted by: 25th BSB Soldier in Mosul, Iraq | August 2, 2005 6:52 AM
My prayers are with all of you. Be safe, be strong, and come home healthy.
Mother to Stryker soldier.
Posted by: Karen Garcia | August 2, 2005 11:20 AM
From the hearts of parents of a SBCT 25th ID soldier, we say thank you to those who are deploying to relieve the Ft. Lewis Stryker Brigade. May God bless all of you and keep you from harm's way. Our prayers are with all of you and we thank you for your service to our beloved America, where we are blessed with freedom thanks to those who serve so willingly. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the families and loved ones. Stay strong, do not underestimate the power of prayer and be proud of your soldier! Gods Speed to all of you.
Posted by: John and Valerie Arminio | August 2, 2005 7:26 PM
May God keep you all safe and thank you for doing a great job to give us the freedom. All of us will be praying daily for your safe return. To the families who love ones are coming home be sure and tell them you love them and so do the
American people. God bless you all.
Posted by: Florence | August 3, 2005 4:07 PM