The Army on July 20 announced that 2,100 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division will deploy to Iraq this fall.
The soldiers are with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk, Louisiana. They will deploy in support of Operation Inherent Resolve as part of the regular rotation of forces, according to the Army.
The 10th Mountain soldiers will replace those from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
“Our soldiers have spent the last year preparing for this mission and are ready to handle any threat anywhere. Without their sacrifice and efforts, our unit would not be the combat focused force it is,” said Col. Brian Sullivan, the brigade commander, in a statement. “I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to our soldiers and their families for everything they have done and continue to do.”
This will be the Army’s first brigade-sized deployment as part of the Associated Units Pilot Program, a program that pairs active Army units with Army Reserve and National Guard units so that they can train and potentially deploy together.
Soldiers from 3rd BCT have trained with soldiers from the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard since March 2016, according to the Army.
The brigade will maintain a presence at Fort Polk to train for future deployments and continue their partnership with the 36th Infantry Division, officials said.
“During the last several months, the Patriots have worked hard and completed multiple training events to include a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation in preparation for this important mission,” said Maj. Gen. Walter Piatt, commander of the 10th Mountain Division, in a statement. “I am extremely confident and proud of the entire 3rd Brigade team.”
