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First Arctic Wolves Return to Alaska After 16 Months in Iraq

Nov-27-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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By Brian Lepley and Spc. L.B. Edgar, AFPS

FORT RICHARDSON, Alaska, Nov. 27, 2006 – Two days after Thanksgiving, the families of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team had a lot to be thankful for as three planeloads of the “Arctic Wolves” returned from a 16-month deployment to Iraq.

Fort Wainwright welcomed more than 620 soldiers and Fort Richardson welcomed another 215 troops Nov. 25. More flights through this week and next were expected to get more than 3,720 Stryker soldiers back home by Dec. 5.

For many of the returning soldiers, the homecoming was a bit of a déjà vu. Some 380 of the 172nd soldiers came home to Fort Wainwright in July before their unit’s deployment was extended four additional months.

More than 300 of the soldiers rejoined their units in Iraq, this time to conduct combat operations in Baghdad. They had previously been operating in the northern provinces of Iraq, mainly in Anbar, Rawaha and Mosul.

The day before the first of the brigade soldiers returned to Alaska, their fellow 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team members cased their colors in a ceremony Nov. 24 outside the Division Morale Welfare and Recreation complex at Camp Liberty, Iraq. The ceremony marked the official end of combat operations for the unit.

“The Arctic Wolves have accomplished a great deal in the last 16 months: successful partnership and COIN (counter insurgency) success in Northern Iraq, protecting the population and reducing the EJK (extra-judicial killing) violence in our focus areas of Baghdad,” said Col. Mike Shields, the brigade commander, at the ceremony.

Shields acknowledged the losses the 172nd suffered in carrying out its mission. Twenty-six members of the 172nd soldiers died and another 350 soldiers were wounded in action during the past 16 months, said Maj. Michael Blankartz, the brigade public affairs officer.

“It is time for one of the greatest brigades in our Army’s history to case the colors and return home,” Shields said. “We will never forget the sacrifices of our soldiers, our families and our children.”

Staff Sgt. Yvonne Smith, a command group administrative assistant for the brigade, said she was hopeful their presence made a difference.

“Hopefully our presence here brought a lot of organizations together so that we have a sense of what we need to do next, without sacrificing lives of soldiers and Iraqis,” Smith said. “It should be taken as a lesson learned. It’s not the Strykers alone. It’s engaging the people and showing them you are human.”

Blankartz said the Arctic Wolves had five Silver Star Medal recipients and the pack received the Valorous Unit Award from Gen. George C. Casey, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, for its exceptional service.

“For the strength of the pack is the wolf,” Shields said, quoting Rudyard Kipling to close the ceremony. “And the strength of the wolf is the pack.”

The Fairbanks community plans to roll out the red carpet for the entire 172nd pack during a Dec. 12 welcome-home ceremony in Fairbanks at Carlson Center, the city's arena. Two days later, another ceremony will combine a reflagging of the brigade to the 1-25th Stryker Brigade Combat Team and change of command and reflaggings and changes of command for all battalions.

Although the 172nds' journey from Baghdad to Kuwait to Alaska came with heart-warming welcomes from family and friends, the soldiers returned to quite a different atmosphere outside.

Alaska has dealt with a deep freeze during the last several weeks, with unseasonably low temperatures in the minus-20s in Fairbanks and around 0 in Anchorage. Those conditions were expected to improve as the week progresses.


Comments For "First Arctic Wolves Return to Alaska After 16 Months in Iraq":

We wish to welcome home the 172nd from Iraq. We are all very grateful for the sacrifices and dedication shown by all of our service members. It has been extremely hard on the friends and families of the 172nd as they were extended for an additional four months. We are just glad that they are now returning home. If there are any members of the brigade, or the 562nd engineers that served with our son, Bryan Christian Luckey, in Rawah or Mosul, we would be very grateful if you could contact our family once you return, to share stories, photos, or any information about your time with him, we would be most grateful. You can e-mail me, Bryans' dad at pblucke@yahoo.com, write us at 5455 Sweetwater Terrace Circle, Tampa, Florida, 33634, or call us at (813)884-5123. If you leave us your phone number, we will be glad to call you, as we have free long distance
service. Bryans' wife Catherine gave birth to Bryans' only child, a son whom she named after his dad, Bryan Christian Luckey Junior, on October 12 2006. He is doing great and has been a blessing from GOD. Our deepest condolences,prayers and thoughts, continue to go out to the families who have suffered the loss of life and limb of their family members in Iraq or Afghanistan. We will daily, and moment by moment miss Bryan but have comfort to know that he is not a fallen soldier, but a risen one, who will always be in the presence of our LORD & SAVIOR
JESUS CHRIST, and is waiting on our grand reunion some day soon. Thanks to all who have prayed for our family, and please remember to pray our other son Matthew Christian Luckey, who returned to Iraq in September for his second tour with the US Marines. Also continue to pray for Catherine as she raises the son that I know Bryan is so proud of. We are sorry that we won't be able to be in Fairbanks for the redeployment ceremonies, but will be there in spirit.

In CHRISTS" love,
Patrick Bryan Luckey

Posted by: pbluck [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 28, 2006 6:20 AM

This proud Aunt and Uncle of Sgt. Joseph D Fuller, 172nd Stryker Brigade, C Company, 1/17, send a huge WELCOME HOME!!!! to our nephew, we are so proud of you, and are so very, very grateful to God that you are coming home to the USA!!! We hope you get this message, and are well.

God bless every one of you, and ~~**WELCOME HOME**~~

Uncle Nick, and Aunt Michele, Sykesville PA

Posted by: Nick and Michele [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 28, 2006 9:55 AM

Welcome Home, Strykers!!!!
Have a wonderful homecoming. All you deserve it.

Posted by: lasse [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 28, 2006 6:38 PM

Welcome Home, Strykers!!!!
Have a wonderful homecoming. All you deserve it.

Posted by: lasse [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 28, 2006 6:39 PM

Welcome home 172nd brigade. Glad that you home. Thank you for serving this country.

Posted by: Troopsuppoter84 [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 29, 2006 6:42 AM

Welcome home (almost) to my son, Pfc. Scott J. Ernest, and all of his buddies! We're proud of you all and happy you're home at last!

Posted by: Amy Ernest [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 29, 2006 10:54 AM

Welcome Home Mike!!!!
We are Sooooo very proud of you and your "Buddies"!! It's been a very long 16 months and now finally our prayers are answered! We love you son. Can't wait to see you and hold you in our arms. We are all on the edge of our seats waiting to finally give you that big hug you so deserve. See you soon Son. Love you whole bunches!

Posted by: Proud Stryker Mom [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 29, 2006 12:17 PM

Good news! Members of B Co. 1/17 touched down in Alaska about 1 hour ago. I am so grateful my brother is home safe. I am also in great pain knowing that Sgt. Rojas did not make it back with them. I will honor and remember his sacrifice everyday of my life.

Corina
BigSis

Posted by: BigSis [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 29, 2006 12:34 PM

Correction: I meant SSG not Sgt.

Corina
BigSis

Posted by: BigSis [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 29, 2006 12:40 PM

Welcome home big brother Mike!!! I can't wait to see you at Christmas back in sunny San Diego. We have all missed you so much and are glad to have our "Clark Griswold" back this year!!

Posted by: Sara [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 29, 2006 2:04 PM

Welcome home Wolves, its been along time coming. Even though some may have given the untimate price, you all need to be proud of the accomplishments you have been apart of. Things are much better over there, now that you made your presence known. You are about to have a well deserved rest and I wish you and your families the best for the holidays. Please be safe and enjoy the time off. YOUR HOME, don't get careless in your celebration of being a Proud Member of the Wolf Pack. Again Welcome Home Boys, you have the future to look forward to now. Reach for the Stars.

Posted by: schoferk [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 30, 2006 2:28 PM

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