Iraq War order of battle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations.
You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.
SGT. Karl King and PFC. David Valenzuela lay down cover fire while their squad maneuvers down a street from behind the cover of a Stryker combat vehicle to engage gunmen who fired on their convoy in Al Doura, Iraq, on March 7, 2007. The soldiers are from Company C, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
SGT. Karl King and PFC. David Valenzuela lay down cover fire while their squad maneuvers down a street from behind the cover of a Stryker combat vehicle to engage gunmen who fired on their convoy in Al Doura, Iraq, on March 7, 2007. The soldiers are from Company C, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

In military terms, the description of units involved in an operation is known as the order of battle (ORBAT). NATO and the U.S. Department of Defense define the order of battle as the identification, strength, command structure, and disposition of the personnel, units, and equipment of any military force. Below is a brief Order of Battle for the major units currently deployed with the Multinational Force Iraq and other U.S. military units operating in Iraq under CENTCOM.

Contents

[edit] Overall chain of command

The overall military commander in Iraq is General David H. Petraeus, Commander, Multi-National Force Iraq (MNF-I) who reports to United States Central Command. MNF-I replaced Combined Joint Task Force 7 in May 2004. MNF-I consists of Multi-National Corps Iraq and Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I), as well as a logistical support element.

  • Special Operations Task Forces

There is a distinction in United States military terms between the troops of Multinational Force-Iraq and forces which fall directly under CENTCOM's control but are in Iraq also. There are two special operations task forces operating in Iraq, Task Force 77 and CJSOTF-AP. Though TF 77, a 'black' force, does not answer to MNF-Iraq, it is included here for the sake of completeness of the U.S. forces operating within Iraq. TF 77 is under the command of the Joint Special Operations Command and its principal mission is to hunt down the leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq. [1]

The second force, which appears to be separate from TF 77, is the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula (CJSOTF-AP). CJSOTF-AP is a "white," or unclassified, special operations task force that is always organized around the headquarters of 5th Special Forces Group or 10th Special Forces Group. [4] Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula (CJSOTF-AP), itself answers to United States Special Operations Command Central. While information is scarce, it probably consists of battalions of the United States Army Special Forces (the 'Green Berets').

  • Multi-National Corps Iraq

The U.S. Army's III Corps headquarters, under Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, provides command and control for Multi-National Corps Iraq, which is divided into the following division-sized areas:

  • Multi-National Division Baghdad

This division is headquartered by the 4th Infantry Division, based at Camp Victory (primary component of the Victory Base Complex), north of Baghdad International Airport. The division controls those brigades in greater Baghdad that are responsible for areas within the city itself. Of the brigades currently controlled by the 4th Infantry Division, one is north of the city at Taji, one in the northeastern part in Adhamiya, one at Camp Liberty in the west, one in the "International Zone" or "green Zone" at the heart of the city, one on the southern outskirts, and a sixth in the southeast near Rasheed airfield. Most of the brigades' troops are dispersed at battalion- and company-level "combat outposts" and "joint security stations." MND-B was previously headquartered by the 1st Armored Division (2003–2004), 1st Cavalry Division (2004–2005), 3rd Infantry Division (2005–2006), 4th Infantry Division (2006) and 1st Cavalry Division (2007).

  • Multi-National Division Center

Headquartered by the 3rd Infantry Division, this division, also known as Task Force Marne, is responsible for operations in the "belt" areas south of Baghdad. It controls one brigade on the southwest outskirts of Baghdad, two to the south near Iskandariya, a fourth east of the city on a newly built forward operating base (FOB Hammer), and a Georgian brigade in Kut.

  • Multi-National Division North

This division is headquartered by the 1st Armored Division and is also known as Task Force Iron. It is based at Contingency Operating Base Speicher outside Tikrit, where one of its brigades is also stationed. Its also has one brigade based in Mosul, one in Kirkuk, one at Taji, and one in Baqubah. A sixth brigade is also temporarily under its command in Baquba for Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

This force is headquartered by I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). It covers western Iraq, including Al Anbar Governorate and the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, the area where Iraq's Sunni insurgency has been at its strongest. Headquartered at Camp Fallujah, where one of its two regiments is also stationed, it has another regiment at Camp Ripper near Al Asad Airbase and a brigade in Ramadi.

This division is headquartered by the Polish military and covers the area south of Baghdad, including the cities of Diwaniyah and Al Hillah. As the contingent allied units departed over the course of 2006, MND-CS has diminished in size and some of its former regions have been assigned to other Divisions, and will dissolve officially in 2007. Iraqi Army units are taking over the division's area of responsibility.

The British military commands this division, which covers southern Iraq, including the city of Basra. It is a division only in name, as it consists only of a reinforced brigade, which is itself expected to be drawn down from its current strength of 7,000 to 5,500 in the spring of 2007.

The U.S. 13th Corps Support Command is in charge of LSA Anaconda, which is responsible for providing logistics support throughout Iraq. It has operational control over one combat brigade, based at Tallil Airbase near Nasiriyah. This brigade provides convoy security across much of the country.

[edit] Multinational Force Iraq: complete current order of battle

In the summer of 2006, units from the fourth rotation of forces in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07, or OIF 05-07) began to be replaced by units from the fifth rotation, OIF 06-08, and in January 2007, some units began to deploy early as part of a "surge" or forces into Anbar and Baghdad. As of April 2007, there were approximately 145,000 American troops in Iraq.[5] Many brigade combat teams (BCTs) lend battalions to other BCTs during the course of their deployments, giving them "operational control" of those units. In such cases, the battalion's name is followed by "OPCON". Many higher-echelon units have two or more designations, often the formal unit around which the formation is based and then the name of the provisional task force; in these cases, both names are included, separated by a slash. Unless otherwise noted, all units are American. This order of battle extends to battalion level and lists maneuver units only; artillery, support, special operations, and advisory units are not listed.

Multinational Force Iraq (Gen. David Petraeus)—Camp Victory, Baghdad

        • 1st Battalion 185th Infantry Regiment (California National Guard)—rear area security, Camp Bucca, Iraq
        • 3rd Battalion 297th Infantry Regiment (Alaska National Guard) (Lt. Col. Duff Mitchell)—rear area security, Camp Buehring, Kuwait
      • 1st BCT, 34th Infantry Division (Col. David Elicerio) (Minnesota NG)—Logistical Support Area (LSA) Adder, Tallil[6]
        • 1st Battalion 133rd Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) (Iowa NG) (Lt. Col. Ben Corell)—Camp Ripper, Asad
        • 2nd Combined Arms Battalion 136th Infantry Regiment (Minnesota NG) (Lt. Col. Gary Olson)—Camp Taqaddum
      • 1st IBCT, 82nd Airborne Division (Col. Charlie Flynn)—LSA Adder, Tallil
        • 2nd Battalion 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment—U/I location
        • 3rd RSTA Squadron (Airborne) 73rd Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Michael Iacobucci)—U/I location
        • 307th Brigade Support Battalion—U/I location
    • Multinational Division Baghdad/4th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond)—Camp Victory, Baghdad
        • 33rd Light Infantry Battalion (Republic of Georgia)—FOB Prosperity, Baghdad
        • 2nd Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment (Stryker) (OPCON from 3rd SBCT, 2nd Infantry Division)—QRF recently in East Rashid, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion 149th Infantry Regiment (Kentucky NG)—Camp Slayer, Baghdad
      • 2nd SBCT, 25th Infantry Division (Col. Todd McCaffrey)—[[Camp Taji], Taji
        • 1st Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment
        • 1st Battalion 14th Infantry Regiment (LTC Thomas Boccardi)-[Tarmiyah, Iraq]
        • 1st Battalion 27th Infantry Regiment
        • 2nd Squadron 14th Cavalry Regiment
        • 225th Brigade Support Battalion
        • 2nd Battalion 11th Field Artillery Regiment
      • 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division (Col. William Hickman)—Camp Liberty, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment
        • 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Michael Getchell)—Patrol Base Copper
        • 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment (Lt. Col. David Burwell)—Camp Liberty
        • 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment
        • 526th Brigade Support Battalion
        • 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion (Lt. Col. Miguel Hobbs)
        • 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (OPCON from 2nd SCR)
        • 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment (OPCON from 2nd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division)—Jamia, Baghdad
        • 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment (OPCON from 4th BCT, 1st Infantry Division)
        • 1st Battalion 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment (OPCON from 2nd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division)—Hurriya, Baghdad
      • 4th IBCT, 1st Infantry Division (Col. Rick Gibbs)—FOB Falcon, Baghdad
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 4th Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Jim Crider)—Dora, Baghdad
        • 2nd Battalion 12th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Stephan Michael) (OPCON from 2nd BCT, 2nd Infantry Division)—East Rashid, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion 18th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) (Lt. Col. George Glaze) (OPCON from 2nd BCT, 1st Infantry Division)—southwest Rashid, Baghdad
        • 2nd Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment (Stryker) (OPCON from 4th SBCT, 2nd Infantry Division)—East Rashid, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion 28th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Patrick Franks)—Amel, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion 38th Infantry Regiment (Stryker) (Lt. Col. Ricardo Love) (OPCON from 4th SBCT, 2nd Infantry Division)—East Rashid, Baghdad
      • 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division (Col. John S. RisCassi)—Rashid, Baghdad
        • 1st, 2nd and 3rd Squadrons
        • Fires Squadron
        • Regimental Support Squadron
        • 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment (OPCON from 2nd SBCT, 25th Infantry Division)
      • 4th BCT, 10th Mountain Division (Col. Mark. A. Dewhurst)—FOB Loyalty, Baghdad
        • 2nd Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment
        • 2nd Battalion 4th Infantry Regiment
        • 3rd RSTA Squadron 89th Cavalry Regiment
        • 5th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment (Lt. Col. Dennis Yates)—FOB Rustamiya, Baghdad
        • 4th Brigade Support Battalion
        • 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion
        • 2nd Combined Arms Battalion 69th Armor Regiment (Lt. Col. Troy Perry) (OPCON from 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division)—FOB Rustamiya, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (OPCON from 1st BCT, 82nd Airborne Division)—Rusafa, Baghdad
      • 2nd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division (Col. Billy Don Farris)—FOB Apache, Baghdad
        • 2nd Battalion 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment—Combat Outpost Ford, Adhamiyah District, Baghdad [8]
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 73rd Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) (Lt. Col. Ross Davidson)—Sadr City, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) (Lt. Col. Eric Schacht) (OPCON from 2nd BCT, 1st Infantry Division)—Adhamiya, Baghdad
    • Multinational Division Center/TF Marne/3rd Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch)—Camp Victory, Baghdad
      • 2nd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division (Col. Terry Ferrell)—FOB Kalsu, Iskandariya
        • 3rd Armored Recon Squadron 7th Cavalry Regiment—U/I location
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Ken Adgie)—Arab Jabour
        • 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment (OPCON from 4th BCT, 3rd Infantry Division)—between FOB Falcon and Arab Jabour [9]
      • 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division (Col. Wayne Grigsby)—FOB Hammer, Besmiya
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 15th Infantry Regiment—vicinity of Salman Pak
        • 3rd Armored Recon Squadron 1st Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. John Kolasheski)—FOB Hammer, Besmiya
      • 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne Division (Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo)—Camp Striker, Baghdad
        • Headquarters, 3rd Infantry Brigade—Camp Striker, Baghdad
        • 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment
        • 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. John Valledor)—Patrol Base Kremple
        • 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment
        • 626th Support Battalion
        • 3rd Special Troops Battalion
        • 1st Battalion, 33rd Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Brian Coppersmith)
      • 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade
        • 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment
        • 3rd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment
        • 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment
        • 603rd Aviation Support Battalion
      • 4th BCT, 3rd Infantry Division (Col. Tom James)
        • 4th Battalion, 3rd Brigade Troops Battalion
        • 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment
        • 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment
        • 703rd Brigade Support Battalion
      • 31st Infantry Brigade[citation needed] (Republic of Georgia)—Camp Delta, Kut
        • U/I Georgian infantry battalion
        • U/I Georgian infantry battalion
    • Multinational Division North/1st Armored Division/TF Iron (Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling)[10]—COB Speicher, Tikrit
      • 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (Col. David Sutherland)—FOB Warhorse, Baquba, supporting Operation Arrowhead Ripper
        • 6th Armored Recon Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Keith Gogas)—FOB Normandy, Miqdadiya
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 12th Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Morris Goins)—vicinity of Baquba
        • 5th RSTA Squadron 73rd Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) (Lt. Col. Andrew Poppas) (OPCON from 3rd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division)—northern edge of Baquba
        • 31st Light Infantry Battalion (Republic of Georgia)—FOB Warhorse, Baquba
      • 1st BCT, 101st Airborne Division (Col. Michael McBride)—COB Speicher, Tikrit
        • 1st Battalion 327th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Peter Wilhelm)—Siniyah, north of Tikrit
        • 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. J.P. McGee)—Patrol Base Olsen, Samarra
        • 1st Special Troops Battalion
        • 2nd Battalion 320th Field Artillery Regiment (Lt. Col. John Dunleavy)—LSA Anaconda
        • 1st Squadron (RSTA), 32nd Cavalry Regiment
        • 426th Brigade Support Battalion (Lt. Col. Greg Anderson)
      • 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division
        • 2nd Battalion 22nd Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Dennis Sullivan)
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 71st Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Darrin C. Ricketts)
        • 1st Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Christopher S. Vanek)
      • 3rd SBCT, 2nd Infantry Division (Col. Steven Townsend)—leading Operation Arrowhead Ripper, Baquba
        • 4th Battalion 9th Infantry Regiment (Stryker) (Lt. Col. Bill Prior) (OPCON from 4th SBCT, 2nd Infantry Division)—outskirts of Baquba
        • 5th Battalion 20th Infantry Regiment (Stryker) (Lt. Col. Bruce Antonia)—western Baquba
        • 1st Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment (Stryker) (Lt. Col. Avanulas Smiley)—western Baquba
      • 4th SBCT, [2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Infantry Division]](Col. John Lehr)
      • 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery

—Camp Taji


        • 2nd RSTA Squadron 1st Cavalry Regiment (Stryker) (Lt. Col. Marshall Dougherty)—Khan Bani Saad
      • 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Col. Michael Bills)—FOB Marez, Mosul
        • 1st Squadron
        • 2nd Squadron
        • 3rd Squadron
        • 4th Squadron
        • Regimental Support Squadron
      • 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Col. Jessie O. Farrington)—COB Speicher, Tikrit
      • 3rd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division (Col. Bryan Owens)—COB Speicher, Tikrit
        • 3rd Combined Arms Battalion 8th Cavalry Regiment (Lt. Col. Kevin Dunlop) (OPCON from 3rd BCT, 1st Cavalry Division)—FOB Paliwoda, Balad
        • 1st Battalion 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Scott Harris)—FOB Summerall, Bayji
        • 2nd Battalion 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. Viet Luong)—FOB Brassfield-Mora, Samarra
    • Multinational Division Central South/11th Armored Cavalry Division (Poland) (Maj. Gen. Pawel Lamla)—Camp Echo, Diwaniya
        • U/I Mongolian company[12]
        • U/I Polish battalion—Camp Echo, Diwaniya
        • Cuscatlan Battalion (El Salvador)—Camp Delta, Kut

[edit] Upcoming deployments

Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09 rotation: On November 17, 2006, the Pentagon announced the first of the major units scheduled to deploy as part of the OIF 07-09 rotation.[13] Several of the units later had their deployments accelerated as part of the surge of troops to Baghdad. Another unit originally scheduled to deploy for OIF 07-09, the 173rd Airborne BCT, has been retasked to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Other units, including 13,000 National Guard soldiers, were alerted for deployment on April 9, 2007, for a forecast troop total of 160,000 by early summer.[14] Still more were alerted on May 8, 2007. Another routine announcement was made on July 31, 2007.[15] The major units on the basic OIF 07-09 rotation are:

    • 1st Armored Division[16]—to replace 25th Infantry Division
    • 4th Infantry Division[16]—to replace 1st Cavalry Division
      • 1st IBCT, 10th Mountain Division[16]—to deploy in June
        • 2nd Battalion 22nd Infantry Regiment
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 71st Cavalry Regiment
        • 1st Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment
      • 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment—to deploy in August
        • 1st Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
        • 2nd Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
        • 3rd Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
        • 4th RSTA Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
      • 4th HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division—to deploy in September
        • 3rd Combined Arms Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment
        • 4th Combined Arms Battalion 64th Armor Regiment
        • 6th Armored Recon Squadron 8th Cavalry Regiment
      • 1st IBCT, 101st Airborne Division—to deploy in September
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 32nd Cavalry Regiment
        • 1st Battalion 327th Infantry Regiment
        • 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry Regiment
      • 3rd IBCT, 101st Airborne Division—to deploy in early October
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 33rd Cavalry Regiment
        • 1st Battalion 187th Infantry Regiment
        • 3rd Battalion 187th Infantry Regiment
      • 2nd IBCT, 101st Airborne Division—to deploy in late October
      • 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment—to deploy in early November
        • 1st Squadron 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
        • 2nd Squadron 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
        • 3rd Squadron 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
      • 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Division—to deploy in late November
        • 1st Battalion 6th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)
        • 2nd Battalion 6th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)
        • 1st Battalion 35th Armor Regiment
      • 4th IBCT, 10th Mountain Division—to deploy in late November
        • 2nd Battalion 4th Infantry Regiment
        • 2nd Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment
        • 3rd RSTA Squadron 89th Cavalry Regiment (already partially deployed)
      • 2nd SBCT, 25th Infantry Division—to deploy in early December
        • 1st Battalion 14th Infantry Regiment
        • 1st Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment
        • 1st Battalion 27th Infantry Regiment
        • 5th RSTA Squadron 14th Cavalry Regiment
      • 1st HBCT, 4th Infantry Division—to deploy in late December
        • 8th Armored Recon Squadron 10th Cavalry Regiment
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 22nd Infantry Regiment
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 66th Armor Regiment
      • 3rd HBCT, 4th Infantry Division
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 8th Infantry Regiment
        • 1st Combined Arms Battalion 68th Armor Regiment
        • 2nd Armored Recon Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment (possibly as 4th Armored Recon Squadron 10th Cavalry Regiment)
      • I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters
      • 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Ohio National Guard)(Columbus, Ohio)[5]—to deploy in 2008
        • unknown complement of Ohio and other National Guard battalions
      • 39th IBCT (Army National Guard)(Little Rock, Arkansas)[5]—to deploy in 2008
        • unknown complement of Arkansas and other National Guard battalions
      • 45th IBCT (Oklahoma National Guard)(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)[5]—to deploy in 2008
        • unknown complement of Oklahoma and other National Guard battalions
      • 76th IBCT (Indiana National Guard)(Indianapolis, Indiana)[5]—to deploy in 2008
        • unknown complement of Indiana and other National Guard battalions

In addition to the units that have been officially announced, the following units are training with the expectation of deployment in the late OIF 07-09 timeframe:

      • 58th IBCT HQ (Maryland National Guard)
        • 1st RSTA Squadron 158th Cavalry Regiment (Maryland National Guard)
        • 1st Battalion 160th Infantry Regiment (California National Guard)
        • 1st Battalion 175th Infantry Regiment (Maryland National Guard)
      • 116th IBCT HQ (Virginia National Guard)
        • 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry Regiment (Virginia National Guard) (Lt. Col. John Epperly)
        • 3rd Battalion 144th Infantry Regiment (Texas National Guard)
        • 2nd RSTA Squadron 183rd Cavalry Regiment (Virginia National Guard)

[edit] Other nations contributing to MNF-I

Division and brigade contributors: The British military commands the Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq), which included UK, Italian, Australian, Romanian, Danish, Portuguese, Czech and Lithuanian troops. As of February 2007, the Australians, Romanians, Danes, Portuguese and Lithuanians remain (see Multinational force in Iraq and Operation Telic for further information). The UK itself has about 7,100 personnel serving in Iraq, making it the second-largest contributor of foreign troops to Iraq, behind the United States. Led by the 3rd UK Infantry Division, MND-SE is a division in name only, its one brigade being the British 19th Light Brigade. British troop levels are expected to be halved during 2007.

British troops are organized into six battalion-sized battlegroups, based around the Queen's Royal Lancers in Maysan province, the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in downtown Basra, the 1st Battalion of The Staffordshire Regiment in north Basra, the 1st Battalion of The Royal Green Jackets in south Basra, The Yorkshire Regiment south of the city, and the 2nd Battalion of The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment as a divisional reserve. Within the battlegroups, battalions and regiments are mixed and matched on a task-oriented basis; companies from the 3rd and 7th Battalions of the Black Watch, the 2nd Battalion of The Light Infantry, the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers are alo deployed.

Fire support is provided by elements of the 5th and 40th Regiments of Royal Artillery, and engineering support by the 38th Engineer Regiment Group. Various military police and logistical support units are also attached.

South Korea is the third-largest contributor of foreign troops to MNF-I, with 3,200 troops from the provisional Zaytun Division originally stationed in the Kurdish city of Irbil, however the contingent was reduced to 2,300 in early 2006, with a full withdrawal expected by the end of the 2007. These troops are tasked with reconstruction and rebuilding only.

Since 2003, Poland (peak contingent: 2,500) and Ukraine (peak contingent: 1,650) have held command of Multinational Division Central South, but during 2006 all Ukrainian and many Polish troops were withdrawn. Poland retains command of a skeletal division structure which controls one Polish brigade and one Polish infantry battalion. Other Polish troops make up Military, Border, and Police Transition Teams; for a total of 900 troops as of February 2007. Poland currently commands troops from El Salvador, Mongolia, Latvia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan.

An independent 1,345-man Dutch contingent was deployed from July 2003 to March 2005, one of its key responsibilities being the protection of a 600-member Japanese humanitarian unit which arrived in Iraq in 2004, for a two and a half year stay. (These duties were assumed by the Australians upon the Dutch departure).

A Spanish force of 1,300 (also commanding contingents from Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua; see Plus Ultra Brigade for further information) served in Iraq from April 2003 to April 2004.

Battalion contributors: Several nations continue to contribute battalion-sized combat task forces to MNF-I. The Republic of Georgia rotates two light infantry battalions (300 troops) into Iraq every six months, one to the city of Baquba and one to Baghdad's International Zone to provide security there (both under US command). Two nations provide battalions to Britain's MND-SE: Australia, which has deployed a 20-man training team and a task force of about 500 soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry and Royal Australian Regiment to Tallil Airbase (in addition to naval and air force contributions in the Gulf region, and an embassy protection team in Baghdad), and Denmark, which leads the battlegroup (460 men) north of Basra. El Salvador also contributes a rotating battalion-sized light infantry force of 380 troops to the Polish MND-CS. (See Operation Catalyst for fuller information on Australian deployments, and Multinational force in Iraq for further information about the Coalition in general).

Company and smaller contributors: A variety of nations contribute company-sized or smaller elements to MNF-I either for reconstruction, training, or combat. Mongolia and Romania each provide an infantry company to MND-CS, while 53 Lithuanian soldiers are attached to the Danish force and 95 Czech soldiers of the 11th Military Police Contingent are based near Basra.[17] There are also Latvians, Moldovans, Kazakhs, Estonians, Macedonians, Armenians, Albanians and Azerbaijanis, and Bosnians.

[edit] See also

  • Iraq War
  • Reconstruction of Iraq : the transitional period following the multinational forces invaded Iraq in March 2003.
  • 2003 invasion of Iraq : Comprised the multinational forces entry into Iraq by force and the combat between the old Iraqi army and the Coalition forces.
  • 2003 - 2004 occupation of Iraq timeline : Timeline of events during Multinational force's occupation of Iraq, following 2003 invasion of Iraq, and relevant quotations about nature of occupation from officials
  • 2005 in Iraq : Events in Iraq during the year 2005.
  • Casualties of the conflict in Iraq since 2003 : the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the ensuing 2003 occupation of Iraq, and the continuing coalition presence there have come in many forms, and the accuracy of the information available on different types of casualties varies greatly.
  • Iraqi insurgency : the armed campaign being waged by various irregular forces, both Iraqi and external in origin, against the multinational force and the new Iraqi government.
  • Iraq Survey Group : A fact-finding mission sent by the coalition after the 2003 Invasion of Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs developed by Iraq under the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
  • Military rule : Military garrisons occupation of all or part of the territory of another nation or recognized belligerent during an invasion.
  • Sectarian violence in Iraq : Events that could lead to an Iraqi civil war.

[edit] References

Web
  1. ^ Army Times, SF presence may grow in combat areas, February 2008
  2. ^ Sean Naylor, Closing in on Zarqawi, Army Times, May 8, 2006
  3. ^ Thomas Harding, SAS trooper shot dead in al-Qa'eda raid, The Telegraph, March 27, 2008
  4. ^ SF presence may grow in combat areas
  5. ^ a b c d e Jelinek, Pauline. "15,000 Troops Could Stay Longer in Iraq", Washington Post, 2007-04-09. Retrieved on 2007-04-09. 
  6. ^ 1/34th BCT receives big farewell at Camp Shelby
  7. ^ V Corps assumes command mission in Baghdad
  8. ^ Action never stops for paratroopers at COP Ford
  9. ^ Coalition Forces Detain 6 in Northern Iraq
  10. ^ Story Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO (2006-09-15). "1st Armored Division begins mission in Iraq". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
  11. ^ Details of British Forces
  12. ^ Mongolian change of command
  13. ^ U.S. Department of Defense (2006-11-17). "DoD Announces Units for Next Operation Iraqi Freedom Rotation". Press release.
  14. ^ Shane, Leo; Associated Press. "Army units' Iraq and Afghanistan tours lengthened to 15 months", Pacific Edition, Stars & Stripes, 2007-04-13. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. 
  15. ^ U.S. Department of Defense (2007-07-31). "DoD Announces Force Adjustments". Press release.
  16. ^ a b c d Pike, John (2007-04-02). Iraq - US Forces Order of Battle. Iraq Occupation and Reconstruction. Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
  17. ^ Czech military deployments in Iraq

References for old rotations - see Multinational Force Iraq