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Jul-04-2009 05:00printcommentsVideo

Oregon Guard Prepares for Iraq Deployment (VIDEO)

A large percentage of these "citizen soldiers" comprising this Tigard, Oregon based National Guard unit, are highly experienced and decorated combat veterans.

Oregon soldiers of the 41st BCT prepare for duty in Iraq
Gen. Raymond F. Rees, Adjutant General, Oregon National Guard, and Col. Dan Hokanson, 41 IBCT commander, conduct a pass and review of the 41 IBCT as they prepare to depart for deployment to Iraq, July 3rd 2009.
(Oregon Guard photo)

(FORT STEWART Ga.) - Oregon National Guard soldiers with the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team were honored during a special sendoff ceremony Friday in Fort Stewart Georgia.

How things looked 10 Months
ago - Baghdad: a City Divided

Fort Stewart and Fort Benning, Georgia, are typically the last stateside bases for U.S. Army soldiers headed to Iraq, where final preparations, training and mobilization take place.

To see what the final days are like for Oregon soldiers bound for Iraq, visit Salem-News Follows Oregon Soldiers Departure For Iraq to see the departure of Oregon's 2/641 Aviation Group in August 2008.

The roughly 3,500 41st IBCT Oregon soldiers are preparing to spend about a year in Iraq, where the U.S. presence is quickly drawing back after the recent July 1st deadline to vacate Iraq's major cities.

The soldiers with the 41st will be responsible for convoy escort duty in what will obviously be a very different Iraqi landscape from what most U.S. troops have seen here.

Many of these soldiers have deployed to Iraq in the past, and almost a thousand were activated and sent to Afghanistan in a deployment that saw their return in 2007.

Nov. 2006: 41st soldiers assist in
restoring Kabul, Afghanistan hospital

While deployed in the war theaters, Oregon soldiers like those of the 41st IBCT are known for providing humanitarian aid for local people and in one case that I witnessed first-hand, members of the 41st were spending their one "low tempo" day a week helping out with the restoration of a Women & Children's Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, as shown in the story to the immediate left.

It is also worth noting that a large percentage of these "citizen soldiers" comprising this Tigard, Oregon based National Guard unit, are highly experienced and decorated combat veterans.

In fact several books could be written about the accomplishments of these tried and proven soldiers.

They are brave and organized and are unique in the Army, that is for sure. Oregon Guard soldiers I believe, are probably among the kindest and most decent individuals currently serving in the military. I make that statement purely from first-hand observation and experience.

Dec. 2006: 41st Soldiers Treat Sick,
Poor Afghans: Winning Hearts & Minds

Soldiers from the 41st going a long way to help the poverty-stricken and war torn civilian populace, is not something the local people take lightly. They appreciate people who give them food and extra clothing and other great things like school supplies and anything medically related.

One thing that I believe will be a service of paramount importance for these soldiers, will be for Oregonians to get behind campaigns like Operation Loveboxes for Our Troops and also Adopt a US Soldier.

It will also be especially, possibly indescribably important, to send items that the local people around them need. Any and all types of non-perishable food qualify, and pens and pencils and sharpeners and erasers are always needed, as are writing pads. Things like band aids are helpful.

The fact that these Oregon soldiers are under excellent leadership, which I expand on later in this article, and will hopefully use the upgraded, newer military vehicles called MRAPS (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), which are referenced in the video below titled, "Oct. 2008: Iraq: Newer Vehicles, Better Protection," means that the level of safety for these individuals will very high as always.

All U.S. soldiers wear what is commonly referred to in the Army as their "IBA" which stands for Interlocking Body Armor. The Marines body armor system is called "MTV" for Modular Tactical Vest.

The IBA's use two ceramic plates; one in front and one in back, that will stop an enemy bullet cold in it's tracks. I know a captain from the Kansas Guard who was shot with an AK-47 bullet in the chest and survived with only a minor injury.

The armor system protects the neck and upper body area as well as the chest and back. The soldiers who operate the gun turrets in the various types of combat vehicles also use bullet proof shoulder pads.

41st IBCT History

The 41st IBCT was activated in 1965, but traces its lineage back to the 41st Infantry Division that saw active service in World War I and World War II. The 41st Infantry was at that point, composed of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, North Dakota and Washington National Guard units.

The 41st was one of the first units to engage in offensive ground combat operations during the last months of 1942. Soldiers with this Infantry Division fought the Japanese in the Island Campaigns of WWII, and they were some of the only U.S. Army groups engaged in that side of the war.

Oct. 2008: Iraq: Newer Vehicles, Better Protection

By 1965 the 41st Division was reorganized as the 41st Infantry Brigade and in 1968 the division was officially deactivated.

The 41st IBCT first saw active duty in 1999, when 136 members of C Company, 1-162 INF, were called to protect Patriot Missile batteries in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

This was the first activation of Oregonian National Guardsmen to federal service since 1941 according to the Wikipedia page on the 41st IBCT.

The 2-162 Infantry deployed to Iraq as part of the 39th Infantry Brigade (Enhanced) under the Arkansas National Guard. The Battalion served in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, suffering a number of casualties while conducting stabilization security missions.

Their role in the war is one many know through the documentary This is War which chronicles their combat tour. Film Director Gary Mortensen in Portland worked extensively with the 2/162 to help the project come to life.

As those soldiers served in Iraq, a handful of personnel deployed to Afghanistan to begin training Afghan National Army soldiers as embedded training team members.

Oregon Governor visits 41st BCT in
Kabul, Afghanistan, during winter 2006

Hurricane Katrina's wrath drew the services of the Oregon National Guard in September, 2005, as Brigadier General Douglas Pritt commanded the majority of the 41st in relief and security efforts near the French Quarter in New Orleans.

By the end of the month, Hurricane Rita struck the Gulf coast and the Oregon soldiers headed to the disaster areas of Texas and Louisiana.

By the spring of 2006, the brigade joined the personnel on the ground in Afghanistan, bringing the total number of 41st IBCT soldiers in the Afghan war theater to approximately 950.

The deployment to Afghanistan marked the first major deployment of the brigade to a combat zone since World War II.

While in-country covering the war there, I learned that soldiers from the 41st IBCT were located throughout Afghanistan, and time and time again I witnessed their professionalism and also their ability to learn the local languages, Dari and Pashtun, and comprehend the vastly different culture and systems of trust.

Sept. 2008: Could Removal of U.S.
Support Shift Iraq's Peaceful Balance?

Honoring Oregon's Soldiers

During the special event at Camp Benning in Georgia, attended by Governor Ted Kulongoski and Major General Raymond F. Rees, Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard, these Oregon leaders honored and showed support to the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

As mentioned before, they are moving into Iraq at a time when U.S. forces are rolling back their presence in many areas as part of an eventual pullout.

Oregon Guard Captain Steve Bomar says the ceremony, held one day before Independence Day, signified the importance of service as Oregon's 41st IBCT, comprised of approximately 3500 soldiers, now set to deploy to Iraq.

Colonel Dan Hokanson, Commanding Officer of the 41st IBCT, made the comment, "We are citizen soldiers and everyone here represents the best of their community, their state, and this great nation. Each one has answered our nations call."

Oct. 2007: Rocky Climb Up the Ghar
shows Col. Dan Hokanson in last shot

Dan Hokanson of Keizer, Oregon is a Blackhawk helicopter pilot by trade and a native of Happy Valley, California. A few years ago he was the contact person with the Oregon Guard's aviation side when those of us from the Portland television stations wanted to do a story on a flight crew, or when we would accompany the Governor on stories about wildfires and natural disasters.

His role as an Infantry Combat Team commander has been one that sees him flying significantly less, needless to say.

Among his many accomplishments, Dan holds a BS Degree in Aerospace Engineering from West Point; Masters Degrees in International Security and Civil-Military Relations. He also graduated from the National Security Fellowship Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

I've flown with Dan, I've climbed a mountain in the Hindu Kush Range of Afghanistan with him, and I have to say that Colonel Hokanson is one of the few commanding officers I have known who seemed to have as much respect from the soldiers below him, as he does from the officers and bureaucrats above him.

He's also impossible to keep up with when climbing mountains, that much goes without saying. I got the idea that he and a few of the other Oregon soldiers could have earned Gold Medals of some kind if they had set out to.

I did walk all the way down from that mountain in Afghanistan with him however, enjoying a pleasant conversation as always, while catching rare glimpses of history and nature.

Iraq in 2009

Sept. 2008: Wheeling in Help for Iraqi Families
An Inspiring story from a sometimes dismal war

The video on the right is an example of how soldiers in Iraq have done amazing things for the local population with zero connection to the government.

In this case, a Minnesota soldier's family began getting the word out in their community about needed medical supplies. Next came wheelchairs for Iraqi people. It was while shooting this story that I learned Iraq has one of the highest percentages of handicapped people in the world.

There is a great deal of encouragement in the story of Minnesota Army Sgt. Jonathan Fondow that I hope Oregonians are enlightened by.

Though many things are starkly different, there are eerie parallels with the final years of the Vietnam War that can be drawn. The recent changes and withdrawal of U.S. support likely will allow the next stage of the process to move forward, whatever that may be.

I was told by different Iraqi people, that a civil war between Shi'ite and Sunni people will take place once U.S. forces are gone, and that it has actually been taking place since shortly after the U.S. occupation began.

Hopefully these soldiers can be viewed in a better light by the Iraqi people, now that the numbers are scaling back. Any help that can be offered them is worthy, and anyone who wants to help soldiers can use the links above or write to us and we will connect you with a group or a method to help.

Here is the Oregon National Guard video that was released in conjunction with the photo and news release about the ceremonial event at Fort Stewart:

Video

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Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor.
Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), the first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several other awards including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated with Google News and several other major search engines and news aggregators.
You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com




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Vic July 8, 2009 8:07 am (Pacific time)

My familiy and I sincerely appreciate the National Guard, and we are sorry that they are being misused and abused. May they all return safely !


pink floyd July 7, 2009 3:11 pm (Pacific time)

If I were one of the leaders of this country, I would probably want the National Guard in another country too. As far away as possible. Not to worry tho, come July 27, 2009, there will be plenty of foreign soldiers here in the U.S. Training to protect you. And they dont even know what the Constitution is. Fema NLE 09


dude July 5, 2009 11:23 am (Pacific time)

Words cant express how sorry I am that you guys have to still go kill and die over a lie, and we have to pay for it. BTW did you hear about Cynthia Mckinney being hijacked and kidnapped by the Israeli terror state pirates?


just me July 4, 2009 2:20 pm (Pacific time)

I will pray for everyone of you for your safe return. Remember, there are millions of people who support you while the Government supports Terror States. God bless you all. (I'm sure you will not print that last part, welcome to censorship)

Editor: Censorship is not a word here, this is not an extension of the government you complain of, it is a private business.  If you don't want to see your comment deleted, then think just a little before you write it.  And for the record I do agree, American support of the terror state called Israel is something that we should be gravely concerned over as they they carry out their terror campaign against the Palestinian people.  That is off subject though, you should respect these soldiers by staying on topic; that would be respectful. 

 

 

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