2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division
"Strike Force"
2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division -- the 2d Strike Brigade -- was the Army's only Light/Heavy Brigade, with two Air Assault Battalions (1-503rd AA & 1-506th AA). 2nd Brigade Combat Team (Strike Force) acted as deterrence of North Korean aggression against the Republic of Korea (ROK).
A DOD briefing on May 17, 2004 confirmed that elements of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division would be deploying to Iraq as part of OIF 3. The deployment was for one year and affected roughly 3,600 soldiers.
By mid-July 2004 the large-scale movement of equipment from the 2nd Infantry Division area to ports in southern South Korea was underway. There it was being packed onto ships and sent to the Middle East. Some 3,600-3,762 2nd Brigade soldiers deployed to Iraq by early August and meet up with their equipment once they get in theater.
The US Army announced on September 23, 2004, that the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division would relocate to Fort Carson upon completion of the deployment to Iraq as part of the Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 rotation. Upon completion of their deployment in the July-August 2005 timframe, the unit relocated to Fort Carson, but dependents were expected to begin relocating to the facility prior to that date.
The combat brigade made up of infantrymen, M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, mechanics and engineers worked together to complete the mission. Each had a vital role in the mission’s objectives. The unit’s mission was to search and secure the enemies fire power. That would allow the infantry units to conduct their missions. The unit did a lot of cache sweeps, mostly through the countryside and in houses, trying to push out the insurgents. They usually found some buried caches, mortar rounds or booby traps. Once the location of a potential improvised explosive device was identified, whoever was on the search team would call for explosive ordnance disposal.
While they were very successful at their job, the engineers had to adjust their actions numerous times due to the changing threats. They were trained to do the combat-engineer mission, but they weren’t trained on what they had to do here. At first the unit had to conduct cache sweeps, and they were very successful. But the enemy became smarter and IEDs and mines became prevalent. Once the field had been cleared, the Soldiers and Bradleys would conduct their sweeps in factories, buildings and homes.
They would secure the main support route that ran from Fallujah to Ramadi. After the all-clear was given, they would conduct raids in the area. The objective was to stabilize the area they were assigned and try to make the country better for the Iraqi people. While the unit built a positive image with the Iraqi people, the Soldiers were eager to get home to their families.
By August 2005 Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division were on their way to their new home after completing the brigade’s first deployment since the Korean War. The unit, which had called the Republic of Korea its home for the last 50 years, relocated to Fort Carson, Colo., after the deployment in Iraq.
