Military

USAREUR Public Affairs 
April 16, 2003

"Old Ironsides" moves out
1AD News Release

WIESBADEN, Germany - The 1st Armored Division, known as "Old Ironsides," began moving out to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Apr.16.

The 1st Armored Division received deployment orders March 4. The Division, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, is the U.S. Army's premier armored division and consists of approximately 13,000 soldiers in Europe and 3,500 at Ft Riley, Kansas.

As of today, more than 3,500 vehicles and pieces of equipment, over half of the divisions total shipment, have been moved or are enroute to the seaport for deployment to South West Asia.

After weeks of preparation and maintenance, check and re-checks, vehicles and equipment are moving out from divisional units located in Hanau, Wiesbaden, Baumholder, Friedburg and other communities within western Germany. The movement began April 9 and will continue throughout April and early May.

Approximately 3,000 of the division's 8,000 vehicles and aircraft - Abrams Main Battle Tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Combat Engineer Vehicles, Apache and Kiowa helicopters -- are moving out to ports this week. The remaining vehicles will head to the ports over the next few weeks.

About 1, 240 vehicles and pieces of equipment have been moved by barge and an additional 3,500 pieces were carried to the ports by commercial trucks. All of the division's equipment is expected to arrive at dockside in two to three weeks.  

Their NCOs checked the soldiers' work and ensured that everything has been completed to standard. While these soldiers were focused on getting the job done quickly, the NCOs and officers continually stressed safety. As a result there have been no serious injuries or accidents reported during the deployment to date.

Once at the port, the vehicles and shipping containers will be loaded aboard cargo vessels.  Once the loads are secure and inspected, the ships will travel to ports in the Persian Gulf region.

Approximately, 200 soldiers forming the division's advance party from Germany and Fort Riley, Kan., will leave for Kuwait sometime next week. Their job will be to set the conditions for the division to rapidly download equipment and move combat ready into Iraq.

Iron Soldiers from the division will bring a wide range of capabilities to the U.S. CENTCOM and V Corps commanders. Not only is the unit fully capably of handling any direct combat operations but the officers and noncommissioned officers have extensive background with similar environments in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. Most have at least one, and some multiple, deployments to Bosnia, Albania or Kosovo.

The leaders and soldiers of the division are fully trained and confident that they have the skills necessary to confront any challenge that operations in the U.S.  CENTCOM area may entail.

For the past six months the division has gone through rigorous combat-oriented training at both the Grafenwöhr and Hohenfels Training Areas.  This has been tough and realistic training in which the soldiers of the division have excelled - the Division is fully prepared for a wide spectrum of military operations.  With all of the units combat crews qualified, 1st Armored Division is ready for any mission.

For more than 60 years, the "Old Ironsides" division has answered the Nation's call. From the sands of Africa to the Balkans, division soldiers have served their country as warriors and peacekeepers - showing the world they are well trained and ready to take on any mission they are given.

For more information, please contact 1st Armored Division Public Affairs Office, at 0611-705-4859.