Iraq War Veteran W Iraq Svc Merch

The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein. The conflict continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post-invasion Iraqi government.

Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) On September 11, 2001 the United States of America was the victim of a series of suicide bombings. Nineteen members of a terrorist organization boarded commercial passenger airplanes, hijacked them, and subsequently crashed them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and into the Pentagon. Following the attacks, it was discovered that Al-Qaeda, an extremist Islamic militant group, was responsible for these acts of violence. Osama Bin Laden, the terrorist group’s leader, was rumored to be hiding in Afghanistan, where he trained and armed men to perform terrorist acts. While 15 of the 19 people accused of the hijackings were from Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan was chosen as a battl...

The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein. The Combat Action Badge (CAB) is a United States military award given to soldiers of the U.S. Army of any rank and who are not members of an infantry or special forces unit, for being "present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with prescribed rules of engagement" at any point in time after 18 September 2001.

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after April 5, 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members – the only earlier award being the obsolete Fidelity Medallion. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.

Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal is awarded to U.S. merchant seamen who serve on U.S.-flag ships in support of operations involving American and allied military forces. The medal is not specific to a certain military operation or conflict, but the award citation would give such details.[2] It has been presented to individuals for service in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It has also been presented to Merchant Mariners sailing in support of Naval Operations with the US Navy's Military Sealift Command, including Cadet Midshipman at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

In March 2003, the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, deployed to Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division as a part of the 1st Brigade, 4ID. The Battalion was instrumental in the hunt and eventual capture of Saddam Hussein during Operation Red Dawn, on 13 December 2003. It was decorated with a Valorous Unit Award for its service during this period.

When Cavalry units began making way into Iraq the 2nd and 6th Squadrons accompanied by several other units making up Task Force 11 flew into combat and became a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom

In the fall of 1990, the 6th Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat) deployed in Iraq during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

In the fall of 1990, the 6th Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat) deployed in Iraq during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

When Cav units began making way into Iraq the 2nd and 6th Squadrons accompanied by several other units making up Task Force 11 flew into combat and became a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom

The United States 32nd Infantry Division was formed from Army National Guard units from Wisconsin and Michigan and fought primarily during World War I and World War II. With roots as the Iron Brigade in the American Civil War, the division's ancestral units came to be referred to as the Iron Jaw Division. During tough combat in France in World War I. Reorganized as the 32nd Infantry Brigade, the largest unit of the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) is the Joint Task Force established by the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), set up by the US Central Command to coordinate military efforts against ISIL (Da'esh)

OEF IV-V: TF 1–501 deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan from October 2003 until August 2004. OIF VI-VIII: The 501st deployed as part of its parent brigade in September 2006 till October 2007, and the final elements returned in December 2007 as part of a 14-month tour in north Babil Province, Iraq, 35 miles (56 km) south of Baghdad. OEF IX-X: In February 2009, just 14 months after returning from its 15-month deployment to Iraq, the 501st deployed for the second time to eastern Afghanistan as a part of Regional Command East, International Security Assistance Force.

Operation Iraqi Freedom OIF VI-VIII: The 501st deployed as part of its parent brigade in September 2006 till October 2007, and the final elements returned in December 2007 as part of a 14-month tour in north Babil Province, Iraq, 35 miles (56 km) south of Baghdad. The unit was the tenant organization at FOB Iskandariyah and conducted full-spectrum operations in the area's major population centers: Bahbahani, Jurf as Sakhr, Musayyib and Tahrir.

RIVRON 2 was established on February 2, 2007 and began unit-level training with the Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.RIVRON 2 deployed to Iraq in October 2007, relieving RIVRON 1

The 2003 invasion of Iraq lasted from 20 March to 1 May 2003 and signalled the start of the Iraq War, which the United States dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom (prior to 19 March, the mission in Iraq was called "Operation Enduring Freedom", a carry-over from the War in Afghanistan). The invasion consisted of 21 days of major combat operations, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and deposed the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein. The invasion phase consisted primarily of a conventionally-fought war which included the capture of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad by American forces with the implicit assistance of the United Kingdom, alongside Australia and Polan...

The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT is a military formation of the United States Army, which saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf War, and in the coalition occupation of Iraq. It is best known for its campaigns in World War II under the command of General George S. Patton.

The only current qualifying period for the CAB is the Global War on Terrorism. Thus, only one CAB can be awarded to any soldier at this time. Retroactive awards of the CAB are not authorized prior to 18 September 2001. Award of the CAB is authorized for the following qualifying wars, conflicts, and operations. To date, a separate award of the CAB has been authorized for qualified Soldiers in the following qualifying period: (1) Global War on Terrorism (18 September 2001 to a date to be determined) (a) War in Afghanistan (OEF, 18 September 2001 to 31 December 2014; OFS, 1 January 2015 to a date to be determined). (b) Iraq War (OIF, 19 March 2003 to 31 August 2010; OND, 1 September 2010 to 31 December 2011).

The 2003 invasion of Iraq[a] was the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 days of major combat operations, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq. This early stage of the war formally ended on 1 May 2003 when U.S. President George W. Bush declared the "end of major combat operations",

The 3rd Cavalry Regiment, formerly 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment ("Brave Rifles") is a regiment of the United States Army currently stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Under various names it has seen action during eleven major conflicts: the Indian Wars, the Mexican–American War, the American Civil War, the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, World War I, World War II, the Persian Gulf War, SFOR in Bosnia, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and most recently Operation Inherent Resolve.

The 14th Combat Support Hospital was originally constituted on 23 June 1942 in the United States Army as the 14th Field Hospital. It was activated 25 July 1942 at Camp Bowie, Texas and inactivated 25 March 1946 in Germany. It was again activated 13 November 1950 in Korea and was allocated to the Army 31 October 1951. It in activated 1 February 1954 in Korea and was activated in December of that year in Germany. It inactivated in Germany on 15 April 1968 and was not activated again until 6 October 1996 at Fort Benning, Georgia. On 21 June 2004 the 14th Field Hospital was re-designated as the 14th Combat Support Hospital in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War, and to deliver humanitarian aid to them. The no-fly zone instituted to help bring this about would become one of the main factors allowing the development of the autonomous Kurdistan Region.

On 2 September 2006 the 138th Field Artillery Brigade was redesignated as the 138th Fires Brigade. On 7 July 2007, Soldiers of the 138th Fires Brigade were mobilized to Fort Sill, OK and deployed in Baghdad (during the War in Iraq), until 27 June 2008.

On 17 February 2010, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that as of 1 September, the name "Operation Iraqi Freedom" would be replaced by "Operation New Dawn"

The 14th Combat Support Hospital was originally constituted on 23 June 1942 in the United States Army as the 14th Field Hospital. It was activated 25 July 1942 at Camp Bowie, Texas and inactivated 25 March 1946 in Germany. It was again activated 13 November 1950 in Korea and was allocated to the Army 31 October 1951. It in activated 1 February 1954 in Korea and was activated in December of that year in Germany. It inactivated in Germany on 15 April 1968 and was not activated again until 6 October 1996 at Fort Benning, Georgia. On 21 June 2004 the 14th Field Hospital was re-designated as the 14th Combat Support Hospital in Fort Benning, Georgia.

The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division is the only one of its size in the US military to receive intense specialized training for fighting in mountainous and arctic conditions. More recently, the 10th Mountain has been conducting operations in Iraq, advising and assisting Iraqi Security Forces.

Alerted on 19 January 2003, the 4th Infantry Division was scheduled to take part in the Iraq War in the spring of 2003 by spearheading an advance from Turkey into northern Iraq. The Turkish Parliament refused to grant permission for the operation and the division's equipment remained offshore on ships during the buildup for the war (see below). Its original mission, holding 13 Iraqi divisions along the "Green Line" in northern Iraq, was executed by joint Task Force Viking. Arriving through Kuwait after the invasion had started, the division was subjected to multiple "SCUD" alerts while at Camps Wolf and Udairi, necessitating the retreat to bunkers in full chemical protective gear.

The 18th Military Police Brigade saw multiple deployments in the Global War on Terrorism to the Iraq War. Its primary responsibilities have been to train and equip the national Iraqi Police forces. Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq 2003–2004 The Brigade entered Baghdad in April 2003 and began establishing the new Iraqi Police Service and rebuilding Iraqi police stations.[3] From the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom until February 2004 the Brigade provided command and control for seven Military Police battalions, one Mechanized Infantry battalion, 30 Military Police companies, and two Law and Order detachments.

The division played a significant role in the Battle of Norfolk. Specific combat arms and combat support units of the 3rd Battalion, 37th Armor and others were responsible for the initial breach of the Iraqi defenses providing subsequent passages for the rest of VII Corps, consequently rolling over the Iraqi 26th Infantry Division and taking 2,600 prisoners of war.

The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein. The Combat Action Badge (CAB) is a United States military award given to soldiers of the U.S. Army of any rank and who are not members of an infantry or special forces unit, for being "present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with prescribed rules of engagement" at any point in time after 18 September 2001.

Air Medal are denoted in the U.S. Army by Numeral devices displayed on the medal and ribbon. The Army originally used Oak Leaf Clusters to signify additional awards. However, this was changed to numeral devices in September 1968, during the Vietnam War, when the number of Air Medals awarded became too large to be annotated on a single ribbon. Since February 29, 1964, the medal may be awarded with a "V" Device for an act of heroism against an armed enemy less than the criteria for the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The 10th Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. Formed as a segregated African-American unit, the 10th Cavalry was one of the original "Buffalo Soldier" regiments in the post–Civil War Regular Army. It served in combat during the Indian Wars in the western United States, the Spanish–American War in Cuba and in the Philippine–American War. The regiment was trained as a combat unit but later relegated to non-combat duty and served in that capacity in World War II until its deactivation in 1944. The regiment have served in conflicts ranging from the Vietnam War to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

V Corps and its maneuver brigades crossed into Iraq on 21 March 2003 as the main effort. In sixteen days of fighting, V Corps advanced more than 540 miles straight-line distance from Kuwait to Baghdad, decisively defeated the Iraqi Armed Forces, and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein.

The 18th Military Police Brigade saw multiple deployments in the Global War on Terrorism to the Iraq War. Its primary responsibilities have been to train and equip the national Iraqi Police forces. Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq 2007–2008 The brigade returned to Iraq in 2007 The 127th and 630th Military Police Companies began serving in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II in mid-2007.[3] The 127th Company served in Iskandariyah, on patrol operations with local police.[8] In November 2007 the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the brigade and the 793rd Military Police Battalion deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.

The 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry was the spearhead and the screening force for the main elements of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during the Iraq War. The 3d Squadron launched an attack under the command of LTC Terry Ferrell on 20 March 2003. The 3rd Squadron was the "Eyes and Ears" for the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the "Iron Fist" for the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps. The Squadron was engaged with the enemy earlier and more often in the war than any other unit. Combat operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March 2003, when the squadron crossed into Iraq as the lead element of the 3rd Infantry Division. The Squadron attacked towards Baghdad fighting both the Republican Guard and the Sadam Fedayeen. Wit...

Campaign Participation Credit 19th Engineer Battalion Iraq: National Resolution Iraqi Surge