Troop surge slowing new Stryker brigade

SEATTLE – President Bush’s decision to send more troops to Iraq has slowed the establishment of the Army’s seventh Stryker brigade, to be based at Fort Lewis.

The bulk of the newly named 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, had been expected to arrive at Fort Lewis by the end of March, but that has since been postponed until May and June, base spokesman Joseph Piek said Wednesday.

The 5th Brigade was to be made up of soldiers from throughout the Army, some with previous experience in a Stryker brigade.

But the military is in the process of sending another 21,500 troops to Iraq, despite objections from House Democrats who pushed through a nonbinding resolution opposing the buildup.

“With the troop surge, a lot of the soldiers designated to go to Fort Lewis have gone elsewhere throughout the Army,” Piek said.

Between 1,000 and 1,200 members of the latest Stryker Brigade Combat Team have arrived at the post south of Tacoma since last September, including battalion and company leaders who have seen to headquarters arrangements.

The majority of the unit’s roughly 3,800 soldiers should be in place later this year.

“We’ll still have the full up brigade here by early to midsummer,” Piek said.

The 5th Brigade is the third to be established at Fort Lewis, which is also home to the 3rd and 4th brigades.

Because there are typically only four infantry brigades in a division, the latest will eventually be renamed the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division to replace one currently at Fort Carson, Colo.

Fort Lewis’ 3rd Brigade is the Army’s first Stryker brigade, now in Baghdad on its second yearlong tour in Iraq. Meanwhile, the 4th Brigade is preparing to go to Iraq in April as part of Bush’s order. The early deployment, a month sooner than originally scheduled, meant the unit has had to continue training at Fort Lewis rather than go to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.

The Army also has four other Stryker combat teams in Alaska, Hawaii, Pennsylvania and Germany. All serve as medium-weight, rapidly deployable units to fill the gap between lighter infantry and heavy forces.