deployment news stories on Newser

First Wave of US Marines Arrives in Australia

Kevin Spak — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:15:07 CDT

A group of 180 US Marines arrived last night in Darwin, Australia, in the first wave of what will eventually be a 2,500-strong US presence on the island continent. Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith officially welcomed the Marines in a ceremony today, the New York Times reports. "One thing...

US May Deploy Aircraft Carrier to Korean Waters

Rob Quinn — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 05:35:25 CDT

The US is considering deploying one of the world's biggest warships to the waters off the Korean peninsula where the sinking of a South Korean warship has raised tensions with the North. The nuclear-powered USS George Washington would be deployed separately from upcoming joint US-South Korean exercises, defense officials say....

Mental, Not Physical, Illness Hospitalizes Most US Troops

Nick McMaster — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:35:00 CDT

For the first time on record, more US troops were hospitalized for mental illness last year than for any other reason, according to new data from the Pentagon. The year saw 17,538 mental health hospitalizations, which narrowly topped childbirth (17,354) and far outstripped injuries or battle wounds (11,...

Army Wives Get Their Own Training: Burlesque

Harry Kimball — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:40:00 CST

Operation Bombshell is not taking place in some far-off locale, but right here at home, and it’s our troops who are on the receiving end of some pretty heavy firepower: their wives’ burlesque talents. As a friendly neighborhood service, a dancer-turned-Army-wife is schooling her compatriots in some tricks intended to...

Parents' Deployments Hit Kids Extra Hard

M. Morris — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:47:49 CST

Kids whose parents are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan struggle with their emotions and responsibilities far more than children of civilians, a large new study reveals. Children of service members were twice as likely to report anxiety, emotional problems, and other symptoms of stress than their civilian counterparts. "Kids were...

Pentagon to Send 30K New Troops to Afghanistan

Rob Quinn — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:14:44 CST

US commanders are finalizing plans to beat back the resurgent Taliban with tens of thousands of extra American troops in Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal reports. As part of Barack Obama's emerging strategy, reinforcements will be deployed in rural areas where Kabul's grip is weak, including along the border with...

US Focus in Afghanistan Shifts to Kabul

Matt Cantor — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:35:05 CST

January’s US troop deployments in Afghanistan will focus on areas near Kabul, reflecting rising security concerns about the capital, the New York Times reports. The move marks the first time large numbers of troops will be deployed to regions south of the city. The 3,500 to 4,000 US...

Bush to Shorten Iraq Tours, Halt Drawdowns

Peter Fearon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:00:00 CDT

President Bush is expected to announce today that the drawdown of US troops in Iraq will be suspended—once forces reach their presurge level in July—because of a resurgence of fighting, reports the Washington Post . The decision, urged by Gen. David Petraeus, means the number of troops in Iraq...

Combat Tours to Be Cut

Rob Quinn — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:20:13 CDT

American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are to have their combat tours cut from 15 months to 12 beginning late this summer. The White House plans a formal announcement next week, an insider told the AP. Tours were lengthened last year to boost troop levels in Iraq, and the Army...