A line of Bradley fighting vehicles are lined up and ready to be loaded for rail transport, which is the first step in the long journey to Iraq. (John Vandiver / S&S)
A line of Bradley fighting vehicles are lined up and ready to be loaded for rail transport, which is the first step in the long journey to Iraq. (John Vandiver / S&S)
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment worked the rails Tuesday, loading up a range of vehicles that they'll be taking downrange this spring. (John Vandiver / S&S)
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Perhaps it’s too early to start a final countdown, but the wheels are in motion as the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division moves full steam toward its spring deployment to Iraq.
Soldiers trudged through the snow Tuesday, loading up vehicles at the Baumholder railhead, the first step in the long journey to Iraq. In the coming weeks, the rails will be a hub of constant activity as long lines of tanks and Humvees get shipped some 2,200 miles from home.
And while the soldiers worked the rails, V Corps commander Lt. Gen. Kenneth Hunzeker made the rounds in Baumholder, meeting with 2nd Brigade commanders and family readiness leaders.
Next week, Hunzeker said he will be certifying that the 2nd Brigade is ready to deploy.
“I’d sign the certification right now if I could,” said Hunzeker after his meeting with the local leadership.
On March 27, the 2nd Brigade will hold a farewell ceremony. Shortly after that, the unit will deploy somewhere south of Baghdad.
Hunzeker also met with the 2nd BCT’s rear detachment unit – dubbed Task Force Rock. The unit officially takes command Wednesday.
Col. Robert P. White, the brigade commander, said Task Force Rock has been up and running for months, making preparations to manage the home front during an anticipated 15-month deployment. By officially “standing up” the unit, battalion commanders will be free to focus exclusively on their war-fighting preparations, White said.
Hunzeker noted that since the start of the Iraq war, the Army has made marked improvement in how it uses rear detachment units.
Part of that evolution has involved stripping away various secondary responsibilities from the units and freeing them up for their primary task.
“Now they can focus more on the family,” he said.
