Friday, November 06, 2009 at 8:09 a.m.
Read more: State, Defense Department, U.S. Army Reserve, Des Moines, Iraq
DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- The Defense Department has announced that 300 soldiers of a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Des Moines have been alerted for duty in Iraq next spring.
Army Reserve public affairs officer Captain Angel Wallace says the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command will perform an important role in supporting the withdrawal of U.S. military forces in Iraq. An exact date for the unit's deployment wasn't announced Thursday.
According the Wallace, the unit will be coordinating, synchronizing and executing the drawdown of forces and equipment in Iraq.
Wallace says the soldiers of the 103rd are being alerted now to provide the maximum time to complete their preparations.
Currently, there are more than 400 Iowa army reservists deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
