The Department of Defense announced that four Army units will rotate to Iraq while one unit will be extended in country.

• The XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters at Fort Bragg, N.C., will deploy in November to replace the III Corps Headquarters as the Multi-National Corps - Iraq Headquarters.

• The 1st Armored Division Headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, will deploy in August to replace 25th Infantry Division Headquarters, which is extending in Iraq until May 16.

• The 4th Infantry Division Headquarters at Fort Hood, Texas, will deploy in August to relieve the 1st Cavalry Division as the headquarters of the Multinational Division Baghdad.

• The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Fort Drum, N.Y., will deploy in June.

The 10th Mountain’s 1st Brigade and the Headquarters of the 4th Infantry will return to Iraq before their one-year dwell time is completed. The 1st Brigade will deploy 47 days short of a year, while Headquarters will return 81 days short.

To support these units, combat support and combat service support units, consisting of approximately 2,000 troops, will also deploy to Iraq. More support forces could be deployed if commanders determine they are needed.

In addition, the DoD announced that four Army National Guard brigades were put on alert to deploy to Iraq in December. The alert will provide time for soldiers, their families and their employers to prepare for the deployment.

Specific units receiving alert orders include:

• 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Little Rock, Ark.

• 45th Infantry Brigade, Oklahoma City, Okla.

• 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Indianapolis, Ind.

• 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Columbus, Ohio.

The alert is not related to the troop surge. These units will deploy as replacement forces for formations currently operating in Iraq. The DoD did not report which units in Iraq the National Guard units would replace. There are approximately 13,000 personnel in these four brigades.

In Iraq, Coalition and Iraqi forces continue to step up their presence in Baghdad. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell IV, spokesman for the Multi-National Force - Iraq, stated on April 5 that 50 of the 75 planned security stations and combat outposts had been manned by joint U.S./Iraqi forces and that the joint forces had cleared about 40 percent of Sadr City, where Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s militia is centered. Caldwell explained that the operations resulted in “much greater cooperation” within the city.

On April 3, the Iraqi government, citing improved security in Baghdad, shortened the city’s nighttime curfew from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The curfew lasts until 5 a.m. In Samarra, however, 60 miles to the north, U.S. and Iraqi forces imposed a curfew that starts at 7 p.m.

As U.S. and Iraqi forces occupy Baghdad, Shiite militias have increased their attacks in areas outside Baghdad, battling against other Shiite and Sunni groups. The Sunnis have also increased their use of suicide cars, vest bombs and, a new tactic, chlorine gas attacks from exploding tanker trucks.

NEW BODY ARMOR
Soldiers, sailors and marines deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan will soon be getting upgraded body armor, which will offer more protection yet weigh less than previous models.

The improved outer tactical vest (IOTV) weighs three pounds less than the current vest, thanks to eliminating overlap. It has a higher cut in the underarm, which eliminates the need for further protection, and a throat protector designed to be more comfortable.

The IOTV also features a single-stage quick release on the front of the vest, enabling users to remove the vest and all attachments in one pull. The quick release will be useful for soldiers who need to free themselves quickly from overturned or submerged vehicles. It will also be useful to medics treating wounded soldiers.

Other IOTV features include a sleeker profile and near-custom fit to increase mobility, camouflaged equipment attachments, more storage and small arms ballistic insert pockets, a mesh lining to aid ventilation and vertically adjustable side plate carriers.

ARMY CIVILIAN BONUS
Department of the Army civilians can now earn a $2,000 bonus for referring someone to enlist in the Army, Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. The bonus originally was only for soldiers and retirees, but the Army changed its policy on March 15 to include Army civilians.

For Army civilians to qualify for the bonus, the referred recruits must not have previously served in the armed forces nor can they be immediate family members of referring civilians. Also, the referring Army civilian must not be serving in a recruiting or retention assignment. A referred enlistee must complete basic training and graduate from advanced individual training before the Army will authorize payment of the bonus.

Before a recruit’s first meeting with a recruiter, a referral must be made by an Army civilian at one of two places, both of which can provide further information on the program:

• For the Army and Army Reserve, visit www.usarec.army.mil/smart/ or call 1-800-223-3735, ext. 6-0473.

• For the Army National Guard, the referrer must either submit the referral though a process via the ESAR online portal at www.1800goguard.com/esar or call 1-866-566-2472.