Nearly 5,000 troops on way to Camp Atterbury (Afghanistan deployment)

[IndianaGreen]

Source: WTHR-TV

Nearly 5,000 troops on way to Camp Atterbury

Updated: Nov 17, 2009 2:16 PM EST

Edinburgh - Nearly 5,000 soldiers will soon arrive at the Indiana National Guard's Camp Atterbury to prepare for deployments to Afghanistan, giving the post its largest use since it became an Army training site six years ago.

The post will be near its full capacity through March while an infantry brigade and 13 reconstruction units undergo training, National Guard Maj. Lisa Kopczynski said. Almost every barrack bed will be occupied at the base and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center near North Vernon, she said.

"Even at peak capacity, we'll ensure that every soldier gets solid training," Kopczynski told the Daily Journal of Franklin.

About 3,000 soldiers coming to the base are members of a Vermont-based infantry brigade that will be assigned to combat operations. About 1,800 others are members of special units that will help rebuild the Afghan economy and strengthen the country's government.

A few advance parties, which consist mostly of command staff, already are settling in at the post about 25 miles south of Indianapolis.

With the size of the operation, two out-of-state units of about 500 soldiers each have been assigned to help lead the training, Kopczynski said. Camp Atterbury normally has a staff of about 700 soldiers and civilians.

Read more: http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=11522583

[SteppingRazor]

1. Kind of annoying that the story doesn't state whether these troops are replacements or ...

additional soldiers from a yet-unannounced troop increase.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Vermont Daily News: Vermont’s largest mobilization for duty since World War II

Burlington, Vt. – Six hundred soldiers with the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team(Mountain) wore battle gear as they boarded a Northwest Airlines 747 airliner, Friday, October 30, in Burlington, Vermont. They are not planning on returning home again before they mobilize for duty in Afghanistan. Guard members head to Fort Polk, Louisiana for combat training and then to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, before mobilizing for Afghanistan. Tomorrow, Saturday, October 31, another 600 National Guard soldiers will depart, bringing the total of 86th IBCT soldiers heading for mobilization processing to 1500.

<snip>

The total number of Vermont National Guard soldiers deploying as part of task Force Phoenix make up Vermont’s largest mobilization for duty since World War II. Most are expected to mobilize for Afghanistan in December from Camp Atterbury, Indiana, upon finishing their training in Louisiana.

http://vermontdailynews.com/2009/10/600-national-guard-deploy-friday-and-600-more-slated-for-saturday/

Knowing how the military operates, their deployment orders were probably cut back in the spring or early summer.

If Obama were to order more troops to Afghanistan today, they won't get deployed until late in 2010 or later.

[Arctic Dave]

2. Have fun guys. Try not to kill too many people for a corrupt govt.

Oh, and try not to get killed too. Dying for someone elses monetary reasons isn't as cool as they want you to believe.

[Flaneur]

3. Cannon fodder. You're gonna kill and be killed for what now?

[AtheistCrusader]

5. They are going to do their duty.

Any failures of morality in the mission belong to us, not the soldiers. We elected the people who have put them there. We elected the people who set the policy and mission. We tolerate these conditions.

They are going to kill and be killed for you and I.

[Sinti]

6. Thanks for saying this

These young men and women joined the military to protect us, with very few exceptions. It's not their fault if we have incredibly corrupt and conscience-free leadership.

[AtheistCrusader]

8. They do have a duty to disobey illegal orders.

But this deployment order is perfectly legal under US and International Law to which the US is a treaty member. So, yeah, they must comply.

So we own it. All of us, even if we would rather they not deploy at all. It's why an informed electorate is so vitally important.

Deep down, I do believe Obama will do right by them. He didn't create this situation. But I believe he has an idea how to bring it to an acceptable conclusion. In the meantime, more manpower is needed to ensure the safety of the troops already there.

[Sinti]

9. Yes they do.

They also have an obligation not to kill civilians if they can prevent themselves doing so. In turn, we have a legal structure to sort that out if it happens, and we have an obligation not to pre-judge our fellow citizens.

Every now and then on the left we have the appearance of blaming young soldiers for the sins of old men. Yet, the truth is we want the war to end, because we value their lives. It's best not to leave that appearance out there, IMO. We need to be clear about that.

This is probably a rotation force, bringing some others home. The article doesn't say, but it's unlikely it's new additional forces with no statement about it - they know they're shipping out for quite some time before they go.

I believe the same thing about President Obama, and I hope we're right. It's not going to be a walk in the park by any stretch, there's enough vipers in this nest to make boots for all the cowboys in Texas.

[Flaneur]

10. They are not killing and being killed for me. No, sir.

I opposed this war under Bush. I oppose this war under Obama. So don't lay that shit on me.

[AtheistCrusader]

11. Your approval is not required. Assuming you are a US Citizen, of course.

'That shit' is on all of us.

[L0oniX]

7. The good news is that Obama will have our troops out of Iraq in another 7 months...

er ...well that's what he said he would do ...you know the 18 months he mentioned ...right?