News Update

POSTED: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008

Washington's 81st Brigade begins Iraq missions

The Washington National Guard's 81st Brigade is in Iraq, and several units have already begun their missions, the brigade spokesman said.

Most units are tasked with providing security for supply convoys. Others are running day-to-day operations at the bases.

The brigade of 3,200 soldiers - 2,400 of whom are from Washington, including many from Whatcom County - left home in August for its second deployment in Iraq. It trained for eight weeks at Fort McCoy, Wis., and deployed to Kuwait, where it received several more weeks of training in operating vehicles and weapons systems.

The soldiers began arriving in Iraq last month. The brigade was split into smaller units - often by battalion, but sometimes by company - and spread throughout the country. Here's where they'll be serving: Ramadi, Mosul, Balad, Tikrit, Qayyarah West Airfield, Baghdad, Al Asad Air Base, Al Taqaddum.