At least two 25th Infantry Division units, including new leader Maj. Gen. Bernard “;Bernie”; Champoux, are headed for Iraq and will be among the last military units to leave when the U.S. pullout is completed next year.

The Pentagon announced yesterday that Champoux, who assumed command of the 11,000-soldier division in February, and 800 soldiers from his headquarters will leave for Iraq later this year and will probably be stationed there for at least 12 months.

Champoux's headquarters will join another nearly 4,000 soldiers from his command assigned to 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, which will leave Schofield Barracks next month and be assigned to Multinational-Division Iraq-North, led by Maj. Gen. Anthony A. Cucolo III. Cucolo relieved Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon in 2007 when he led the 25th Division's headquarters unit to Iraq.

Although Champoux would not say yesterday what his new assignment will be, he did tell reporters that it would be in the Baghdad area as part of realigned United States Division-Central working out of Camp Victory, which is led by Maj. Gen. Terry Wolff, who commands the 1st Armored Division.

Champoux said the deploying soldiers and their families were informed about the pending deployment a day before yesterday's official announcement, although planning has been going for several months.

“;We're excited about it,”; said Champoux at yesterday's Schofield Barracks news conference. “;We're excited about continuing to help the Iraqis make progress.”;

Champoux sees his soldiers' role as one that helps Iraqis rebuild their country.

Army Secretary John McHugh, who leaves Hawaii today after a three-day visit, added that the final troop drawdown will be made by two field commanders, Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. Ray Odierno.

“;The latest information is they expect to adhere to the stated drawdown deadline,”; McHugh added, “;until something else happens that is a very achievable goal.”;

All combat soldiers are expected to be withdrawn by mid-August. Odierno, the outgoing top U.S. military commander in Iraq, has said he expects to reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq to 50,000 by the end of August from about 96,000.

President Barack Obama has set 2011 as the pullout date to remove all U.S. soldiers and equipment from Iraq.

This will be the third time a headquarters task force from Schofield Barracks will be sent to Southwest Asia.

In 2005 then-Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, who commanded the 25th Division, took his headquarters to Afghanistan.

The Pentagon said the 25th Division soldiers will provide command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in support of security operations in the country.

There are more than 9,000 Army soldiers stationed in Hawaii and Asia who are now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.