Deployment To Iraq, 2010
On Monday 19 May 2008 Louisiana's 256 BCT was alerted by the Defense Department that they will possibly begin a second tour in Iraq starting in Spring 2010. Brigades from the Texas, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee National Guards were also notified in the same press release. The press release specifically stated tours of duty located in Iraq and Kuwait, and not Afghanistan. The notice of this deployment comes in under three years of the unit's return from their first tour of Iraq in 2004–2005. If the unit deploys in Spring 2010, as scheduled, it will have had slightly over four years since its last federal deployment.
In February and March 2010, the 256th prepared for deployment to Iraq.
On 5 January 2010, the 256th BCT left for mobilization at Camp Shelby, Mississippi where soldiers trained for a variety of missions, such as PSD, FOB security, gate guard, convoy security, and more. In early March, they flew out of Gulf Coast Airport in Mississippi.
The brigade was divided into many different sections, being controlled by sustainment brigades and commands. The brigade commander, Col. Ball, did not command the entire brigade as subordinate units fell under other brigades. While select units returned home in August, the majority of brigade unit deployed back to home station in Louisiana in December 2010.
Read more about this topic: 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)