Soldiers to meet up with vehicles in August for training in Kuwait before going to Iraq

GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — Less than a year after arriving in Germany, the 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment already is on its way out of town.

Last weekend, Cav soldiers began loading the more than 300 Stryker armored personnel carriers onto trains at Grafenwöhr for the long land and sea journey to Kuwait. Final destination: Iraq.

On Wednesday, the movement was still in progress at Grafenwöhr with soldiers loading 40 Strykers from 2nd Cav’s 3rd Squadron onto trains, in a scene that is a reversal of the Strykers’ arrival in Vilseck in late July 2006.

Maj. Jon Pendell, 2nd Cav spokesman, said transport of the eight-wheeled vehicles is the first phase in the unit’s deployment.

“This is the first time we have deployed Strykers out of Europe. We had our test run when we came here. Now we are pushing the Strykers out to a combat zone,” he said.  …..more