Isle Army reservists
to prep for Iraq dutyA total of 390 troops could head
to Iraq as early as March
Nearly 400 Hawaii Army reservists received their orders yesterday to report to Schofield Barracks in January to begin three months of preparation for combat duty in Iraq.
Members of the 411th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) were alerted Nov. 20 for the possibility of 18 months of active duty, including a year in Iraq.
Yesterday's mobilization order for the 411th, which also has units in Guam and Alaska, is the first major activation of a Hawaii-based Reserve unit since the Vietnam War. About 540 combat engineers from Guam, Alaska and Hawaii under the command of Lt. Col. Jonathan Wung are covered by yesterday's mobilization order.
"While the orders will cover 18 months, soldiers and units will be demobilized prior to 18 months whenever possible," Army Reserve spokesman Lt. Col. Howard Sugai said.
Wung said the next three months will be spent "making sure our families and soldiers are taken care of."
A total of 390 reservists -- 260 from Oahu and 130 from Maui or the Big Island -- could leave Schofield Barracks as early as March, possibly to work on rebuilding Iraq's roads, schools and other facilities.
The Army reservists are among the more than 8,000 locally based soldiers who will see duty in Iraq and Afghanistan next year. Nearly 40 percent of the 105,000 troops in Iraq next year will be National Guard and Reserve. That compares with about a 20 percent share in the current force of 130,000 troops.
Other Hawaii units bound for Southwest Asia include 4,500 25th Division soldiers scheduled to leave for Iraq in February. Another 3,500 Tropic Lightning soldiers will relieve the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan two months later. The Hawaii Army National Guard also is sending helicopters and crews to the area.