About 500 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division headquarters will deploy this fall to Iraq, the Army announced Friday.
The soldiers, who are stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, will support Operation Inherent Resolve. Once in-country, they will assume the role of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Iraq, replacing soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division headquarters who have been deployed since February.
As the combined joint forces land component command, the 1st Infantry Division soldiers will provide command and control of coalition troops training, advising and assisting Iraqi Security Forces.
"Our Big Red One soldiers are well-trained and ready to continue the tremendous support the 101st Airborne Division and the coalition are providing to our Iraqi allies," said Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin, incoming commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. "We will assist in training Iraqi commanders, staffs, soldiers and police officers as they plan and conduct counter-ISIL operations in both the Tigris and Euphrates River valleys, with a central focus on the City of Mosul."
Martin was named the commander of the 1st Infantry Division on Sept. 29 after Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby was relieved of command. The Army has not said why Grigsby was relieved, with officials citing an ongoing investigation. Officials would only say Grigsby was fired because of a "loss of confidence."
Martin, who most recently led the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, was quickly named as Grigsby's replacement to lead the division headquarters to Iraq.
