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Brigade expects to end up in Iraq

May-23-2007 » Filed Under: 56th SBCT

By BRAD RHEN, Lebanon Daily News

When the Army announced its latest round of troop rotations for Iraq earlier this month, the writing was scribbled on the wall for many Pennsylvania National Guardsmen.

Of the 10 brigades slated for deployment by the end of this year, two are Stryker brigades — the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment from Vilseck, Germany, and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

The 2nd Stryker Cavalry is making its second deployment to Iraq since it became operational as a Stryker brigade four years ago.

But of more interest to Pennsylvania troops is the deployment of 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry. That brigade is the fifth of seven planned Stryker brigades throughout the Army, and it just became operational this year.

Pennsylvania’s Stryker Brigade, the 56th Stryker Brigade, is the sixth to be formed and should be operational next year.

With the Hawaii-based brigade bound for Iraq and other Stryker brigades beginning their second tours there, there’s a very good chance Pennsylvania’s brigade will deploy there soon after becoming operational, said Lt. Col. Marc Ferraro, commander of the 56th Stryker Brigade.

“Once we’re operational, we would expect sometime after October of ’08, the brigade will come down on (mobilization) alert,” he said. “But that’s not guaranteed.”

The 56th Stryker Brigade is based in Philadelphia and has units in communities across the state, including Lebanon and Fort Indiantown Gap. It has about 3,700 soldiers, with more than 200 full-time troops.

The centerpiece of the brigade is its 332 Stryker vehicles. The Stryker is a 19-ton, eight-wheeled vehicle that is designed to bridge the gap between the Army’s light infantry units and heavy armored units. The vehicles come in 10 variants and can travel at more than 60 mph. Each costs about $2.2 million.[...]


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