DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
HEADQUARTERS
3rd SQUADRON, 278TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM
FOB COBRA, IRAQ APO AE 09374
3/278- CDR

Dear Families,

I realize there is a lot of information floating around about when, how, and where we will be redeploying. I also realize there will be many who speculate and by doing so will only confuse you and in the worst case cause unnecessary planning. I wish this could be avoided and I apologize for any inconvenience this inaccurate information may cause. As you know our redeployment is based on a preliminary time line and can only be finalized and more certain as we approach that designated time. Please keep in mind it is all subject to change at any minute based on unforeseen situations. However, I will attempt to answer some of the more commonly asked questions. The answers reflecting the guidance I have been given by Regimental Headquarters and other authorities.

We anticipate leaving Iraq the last couple of weeks of Oct through the first couple of weeks of Nov. It will be a staggered schedule. We anticipate arriving at Camp Shelby somewhere between 3 and 5 days after leaving Iraq. Soldiers will get on buses at Gulfport and be transported to Camp Shelby to turn in their weapons and sensitive items. After a 100% accountability of personnel and weapons the soldiers will get a Safety Briefing and then start their 48 hr Safety Stand Down so they can be with their families or rest. We anticipate the processing time at Camp Shelby to take approximately 7 to 10 days and that includes the 2 day Safety Stand Down period where we can rest and recover from the return trip.

Families will be allowed to visit their soldiers at Camp Shelby during the safety stand down period. The capabilities at Camp Shelby cannot process everyone in the Regiment at the same time, so we have to do it in a phased schedule based by unit or plane load. We anticipate it will take the Regiment about 3 weeks to get everyone processed and on their way back to their home. After the first week, the Regiment will have about 300 soldiers per day going home. There will be a log jam once the processing begins to become overloaded. Our position in the order of return will most likely experience some of this delay, though it is not anticipated to be an extended period. Possibly an additional 2-3 days.

We are attempting to get the soldiers as close to their home or where they want to go as possible. The soldier may request transportation back home to the closest armory to his home or to the armory he wishes to go depending on availability of buses. The current plan is to have charter buses transporting soldiers to the Tennessee armories; most buses will hold 40 to 44 passengers, as much as possible unit integrity will be maintained.

The Regimental Combat Team is approximately 4,000 soldiers and will have to conduct phased operations to assist smooth force flow operations. At some points in time the Regiment we will have units here in Iraq, units in Kuwait and units in Camp Shelby and some of the soldiers at home. It is difficult for families and soldiers to realize how many different moving pieces and units that there are in the Regiment. One person can say that the 278th is in Camp Shelby and another one say that they are in Kuwait and Iraq and both of them will be correct. Please don't let this fact discourage you. We are all heading the same direction and I assure you no one wants to be home more than the soldiers of Task Force Raider. There will be news releases announcing the units and home towns and their arrival times to their home towns. Camp Shelby will have adequate phone systems so the soldiers can call home to talk to their family.

The transportation piece out of Shelby will be a challenge to get soldiers home with their original unit. We hope each home town can get all their soldiers home at the same time for their returning celebration.. The State of TN and the 278th will have a small control cell and SRP team at Camp Shelby. There will be a central location for messages, transportation schedule home, PAO releases and information for families. Camp Shelby Family Assistance will be helping to ensure that the families are taken care of and everyone will be kept informed of the returning soldiers schedules.

We still have a very important mission to accomplish here and we will do everything we can to ensure all of our soldiers remain focused. In that same light I want to brag on the soldiers of Task Force Raider. In order to place in perspective, the magnitude of success they have had, I have translated just a few facts into terms we can all understand.

At this point in time your soldiers have ordered and installed over 10,000 parts for our combat vehicles worth over $10 million dollars. This amount of money and volume of parts could maintain both driver and cars of the entire 10 finalists of the Nextel Cup for one season.

Your soldiers have prepared and served over 500,000 meals which could feed lunch to all the football fans at Neyland Stadium for all the home games for an entire season. Though the main course would most likely be chicken, it would be prepared in any number of ways.

Your soldiers have completed over 4,600 combat patrols which is almost twice what the previous unit had accomplished. They have apprehended and detained 144 anti-Iraqi forces once again more than twice previous unit with a detention rate of 92% retention rate which is a testament to them getting the guilty without punishing the innocent.

Your soldiers have trained over 847 Iraqi Army soldiers and over 400 Iraqi Police patrolmen which will position this country for success long after we have come home.

The soldiers of Task Force Raider have cleared over 30,000 miles of roads since their arrival which is equal to coast to coast trip conducted 11 times in a 9 month period. That is one coast to coast trip per week. The Squadron has traveled over 90,000 miles equaling 3 ½ times around the earth.

I am proud to say we have accomplished all of these missions with the best quality military leadership at down to the lowest level with solid soldier discipline and the high morale. I have witnessed your soldier's enormous individual and unit courage and I am confident the unit effectiveness is as good as we can possibly get. This is the most competent and battle wise force in our State's history.

Now the net result of your soldier's success means they have spared 500 families the hardships of sending a loved one to this theatre. If we would assume most of these 500 are married, have 2.1 children, 1 brother or sister, and at least one grandparent living, they have affected 2,600 people's lives in a positive way. If you are ever in proximity of 2,600 people, I hope realize the results of the sacrifice you have made. The history in our country of so few helping so many is a long standing tradition and you can be proud of your accomplishments.

Please remain steadfast in these remaining few weeks and we look forward to seeing you back in the greatest Country on the face of the earth. And I assure you all of us will never that that for granted again.

JEFFREY H. HOLMES
LTC USA
Commanding