Show V 1 r n ' AS — The Herald Journal Logan’ Utah Thiirsday April 15 v 2004 US soldiers’ Iraq tours extended past WASHINGTON (AP) About 21000 American sol- diers in Iraq who were to ' ' return this month to their' home bases id Louisiana and Gcrmahy will have their tours f extended at least three months to help combat the surge in violence defense ofTicials said Wednes- ' ' day The decision which has not been announced publicly breaks the Army's promise to soldiers and their families that assignment in Iraq would be limited to 12 months The affected soldiers already have been in Iraq for a year In addition about 1000 sol: diers in transportation units ' U-- : ' f and pulling out troops Abizaid had planned as part of the current rotation of fresh forces into Iraq to reduce the US troop presence from ' about 135000 to about 115000 But the surge this month in violence in S restive areas in and ardund Baghdad and in the south has forced Abiziid to change course He indicated on Tuesr day that he needed more forces than originally planned issued quoting the regiment's mander Col Bradley W May assaying “elements'’ of his unit “will remain in theater longer than initially announced” He did not say how many soldiers were affected A senior defense official speak- - on Mark one-yea- r ing on condition of anonymity said Wednesday it would be about 2800 The 2nd Squadron of the 2nd ArmoredCavaliy recently returned home to Louisiana but the rest of the unit will remain in Iraq May did not say how much longer his unit would' remain in Iraq Other defense officials said family members were Jold the sol- - " dien probably would be back at Fort Folk in about four months They likely will be in Iraq an extra three months! then take a month to redejploy These are not the first units to be extended in Iraq beyond one year A brigade of the " 82nd Airborne was extended by about three months 1 ’ based in Kuwait will be extended beyond one year a senior defense official said Most of them are in the National Guard or Reserve They are deemed critical to resupplying the troops based in Iraq Welcome-hom- e ceremonies at Fort Polk La scheduled for this month have been can-eele- In Baumholdcr d Ger- many some soldiers’ families have stopped marking the days off the calendar The top US commander for the Middle East Gen John Abizaid decided that the increase in violence was so threatening that he needed to have the extra firepower offi- cialssay Defense Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld was " fine-tuni- - the new plan 'Wednesday: his spokesmen declined to discuss details They said it was possi- Me that Rumsfeld would make it public on Thursday The tour extensions come at ' h particularly delicate moment At least 87 troops ' have been killed in April the deadliest month since they set foot in Iraq in March 2003 The number of wounded also has skyrocketed Of the estimated 2 000 soldiers affected by the extension in Iraq about 18000 are in the 1st Armored Division About 2800 ani 'with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment v The advantage of keeping' soldiers of the 1st Armored and the 2nd Armored Cavalry in Iraq for an extra three " months — rather than bring-- : ing in an equivalent number from elsewhere — is that ' these soldiers have unmatched combat experience in Iraq The Army is so stretched by ’ its commitments in Iraq Afghanistan the Balkans and elsewhere that it has few if - any forces immediately avail- able to substitute in Iraq for the 1st Armored or 2nd Aimored Cavalry Also these units have been heavily involved in one of the " most important US military missions there: gaining thou sands of Iraqi security forces' ' Those Iraqi army and civil ’ defense corps members are central to the Pentagon’s plan 1 A - ‘ : - v Continued from A1 left Baghdad and was in Kuwait awaiting its return to the United States when it receivedWord that it might ' have tostayin the war zone Meanwhile relatives of 7 members of the Army Reserve’s 419th Transporta- tion Company have heard that company’s service could be extended for a third time Claude McKinney spokesman for the 9bth Regional Readiness Command at Fort Douglas Said the com- ' mand had heard the rumors hhd from family members but received no official word The 419th based in Salt Lake City had 170 members called iipin March 2003 Not all of Utah’s troops are ' :: being asked to stay beyond their scheduled tours About' ' 120 linguists with the jf2nd ' Military Intelligence Battalion ' returned to Utah Wednesday : after a year in the Persian Gulf ' region Ten Utah Army Reserve sol- - ' diers of the 200th Medical Detachment were also sched- - V ulej to return to Saif Lake ' City Wednesday after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq'‘ " : : : a : SAVE AN ADDITIONAL mm® WHENiYOU tDILmRDlSJBHH Open a Dillard's Express Cfdit Accoiunt today through April 18 and you ran Save 20 (10 new account discount 10 ousting account dikount) oh purchases the first day in qualifying deputments listed at the left After the iirst day you’ll CREDITXTRDjraM NOW THROUGH SUNDAY APRIL DILLARDS CHARGE yUse and you 1 CARd49 'ur VOn: ALL ' ‘v: Ladies' Juniors v Men's Children's Appaurel Shoes & Accessories DON’T HAVE A DILLARD'S CREDIT CARDT will received ADDITlONAlSMB in qualifying departments save10 during the remaining days pf the p Oo DISCOUNT onall your’purchases of apparel shoes and accessories fo? 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