IRAQ: American soldiers prepared to leave Camp Adder which is will be signed over to the Iraqi military

Record ID: 346439

  • Title: IRAQ: American soldiers prepared to leave Camp Adder which is will be signed over to the Iraqi military
  • Date: 19th December 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF US SOLDIERS PREPARING THE LAST BARBEQUE BEFORE DEPARTING IRAQ SOUNDBITE (English) LT COL JACK VANTRESS, COMMANDER, SPECIAL TROOPS BATTALION, 3RD BRIGADE, 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION (HOMETOWN TILLAMOOK, OREGON), SAYING: "One, it's a feeling of elation as we prepare roll out knowing that all of our soldiers will be home soon with their families for Christmas. It is a feeling of a accomplishment after eight and half years of helping the Iraqi people stand up." VARIOUS OF US SOLDIERS PLAYING AMERICAN FOOTBALL SOUNDBITE (English) MAJOR GENERAL JEFF BUCHANAN, US MILITARY SPOKESMAN, SAYING: "It's kind of excitement in the air. Guys are excited about being home within a week from this point. They are excited about making the last tactical move for their deployment." VARIOUS OF US MILITARY VEHICLES LINING UP FOR FINAL DEPARTURE VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS CHECKING THEIR MILITARY AND SAFETY GEAR GENERAL LLOYD AUSTIN SHAKING HANDS WITH SOLDIERS DUDE TO LEAVE IRAQ SOUNDBITE (English) GENERAL LLOYD AUSTIN, SAYING: "I am very hopeful that things will continue to move in the right direction. It is going to take the Iraqi government, the Iraqi people to continue to make the right decisions, work together but again that opportunity is there. I think if they take advantage of the opportunity they can become a leader in this region so we are hopeful that the right thing will continue to happen." ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) VARIOUS OF US SOLDIEERS FOLDING THE UNIT FLAG BEFORE BOARDING THE AIRCRAFT SOLDIERS LINING UP DURING THE FLAG FOLDING CEREMONY GENERAL LLOYD AUSTIN SALUTES THE COMMANDER OF THE UNIT VARIOUS OF US SOLDIERS BOARDING AIRCRAFT FOR A FINAL DEPARTURE FROM IRAQ VARIOUS OF COMMANDER HUGGING DEPARTING SOLDIERS
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq, Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Conflict,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA2O3ROJMXVNIGIRNANMYMF1NZJ
  • Story Text: American soldiers on Saturday (December 19) prepared for their pull out from Camp Adder, holding a last barbacue before their departure.
    "I've got mixed feelings about it, it's good feeling to know that this thing is coming to a close, I was here when it first started and I've seen a lot of progress in this country, a lot of changes. I've got a lot of good memories and alot of bad memories here, so I've kinda got a mixed feelings about the place," said Staff Sergeant Christian Schultz.
    "It's kind of excitement in the air. Guys are excited about being home within a week from this point. They are excited about making the last tactical move for their deployment," military spokesman, Jeff Buchanan said, capturing the mood of troops looking forward to being home for Christmas.
    Hundreds of convoys of military vehicles and civilian trucks have gone south into Kuwait since President Barack Obama last month said troops would leave as scheduled, effectively ending the large-scale U.S. military presence on Iraqi soil.
    The U.S. withdrawal from Iraq after nearly nine years of war is believed to be one of the largest removal jobs in history.
    At the start of the year logistics experts calculated there were nearly 3 million pieces of equipment to be moved, from airplanes, helicopters and tanks to laptops and lights.
    Toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is dead, executed in 2006, and the worst sectarian violence has, at least for now, passed. But Iraq still struggles with insurgents, a fragile power-sharing government and an oil-reliant economy plagued by power shortages and corruption.
    U.S. troops were originally due to stay on as part of a deal to train the Iraqi armed forces, but talks about immunity from prosecution for American soldiers fell apart.
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