Multinational Force Iraq

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Multinational Force - Iraq


caption= Multi-National Force - Iraq Insignia
dates= 2004-05-14 -
country= United States and United Kingdom
size= ~150,000
command_structure= United States Central Command
garrison=
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment=
equipment_label=
battles= Iraq War
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1= GEN Raymond T. Odierno
commander1_label= Commanding General
commander2= Lieutenant General John Cooper, DSO, MBE (UK)
commander2_label= Deputy Commanding General
commander3= Command Sergeant Major Marvin L. Hill
commander3_label= Command Sergeant Major
notable_commanders= George William Casey Jr.
Ricardo Sanchez
anniversaries=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Distinctive Unit Insignia
identification_symbol_2=
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:"This page is about the military command, for more general discussion of the coalition forces see Multinational force in Iraq or Iraq War."

Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) replaced Combined Joint Task Force 7 on May 15, 2004. The land forces component of United States Central Command that carried out the initial invasion of Iraq, designated the Coalition Forces Land Component Command, was established by Commander, US Army Forces Central Command, in 2002/3, to oversee two corps-sized organizations, I Marine Expeditionary Force and V Corps. These two corps-level formations carried out Operation Iraqi Freedom which began on 20 March 2003. CFLCC was replaced by Combined Joint Task Force 7 on 14 June 2003.

Combined Joint Task Force 7

On 23 July 2003 the Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 (OIF-2) rotation for Combined Joint Task Force 7 was announced. The 3rd Infantry Division was to be replaced by the 82nd Airborne Division (-), the I MEF by what was to become Multinational Division South Center, 4th Infantry Division by 1st Infantry Division, with an Army National Guard Brigade attached, 1st Armored Division by 1st Cavalry Division, also with an ARNG Brigade attached, 3 ACR by a Stryker brigade, and 101st Airborne Division by a putative Multinational Division that in the event was never formed. In the event, the 101st was replaced by Task Force Olympia. The 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division and the this is not true, me thinks 173rd Airborne Brigade were to be withdrawn without replacement.

The complete OIF-2 rotation to brigade level under CJTF-7 was as follows (although OIF-1 and OIF-3 units were present at virtually every point during OIF-2):

Headquarters: III Corps

* 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team (Washington ARNG)

* Task Force Olympia - replaced the 101st Airborne Division as Multinational Division North
** 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division (United States)

* 1st Cavalry Division - Task Force/Multi-National Division-Baghdad
** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
** 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
** 5th Brigade Combat Team (Provisional), 1st Cavalry Division
** 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (ARNG) (Baghdad/Taji, Iraq)

* 1st Infantry Division
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st ID
** 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st ID
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th ID
** 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (Mechanized) (North Carolina Army National Guard)

* I Marine Expeditionary Force
** 1st Marine Division
*** Regimental Combat Team 1
*** Regimental Combat Team 7
*** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

* Multinational Division Central-South (Polish led)
** Polish Brigade
** Plus Ultra Brigade
** Ukrainian Brigade

Multi-National Force - Iraq

In its turn, CJTF 7 was replaced by Multinational Force Iraq on May 15, 2004. Multinational Force Iraq was established to handle strategic level issues while Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I) directed the tactical battle. General Ray Odierno serves as Commanding General. As of mid 2005, the 1st Corps Support Command based at Logistics Support Area Anaconda at Balad, Iraq, was providing theatre logistics support.

The two big units in OIF-3, announced by July 2004, were the 3rd Infantry Division, and the 42nd Infantry Division of the New York National Guard. The 3rd Infantry Division headquarters commanded two brigades of the division and the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard. The division relieved the 1st Cavalry Division in and around Baghdad.

OIF-3 rotation

The complete OIF-3 rotation to brigade level under MNF-I was as follows:

Headquarters XVIII Airborne Corps
* 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Hawaii (ARNG)
* 56th Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Texas ARNG
* Task Force Freedom - MNF-Northwest
** 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (acting as TF HQ)
** 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
** 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
* 3rd Infantry Division - MND Baghdad
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd ID
** 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd ID
** 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division (United States) (Fort Riley, KS)
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
** 256th Brigade Combat Team (ARNG)
* 42nd Infantry Division (ARNG)
** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd ID
** 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd ID
** 116th Brigade Combat Team (ARNG)
** 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment RCT (ARNG)
* II MEF (Fwd)/2nd Marine Division - MNF-West
** RCT-2
** RCT-6
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd ID
** 155th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (ARNG)
** 1st Corps Support Command

OIF-4 rotation

The OIF 4 rotation was announced on 14 December 2004.

The 4th Infantry Division's second deployment to Iraq began in the fall of 2005. The division headquarters replaced the 3rd Infantry Division, which had been directing security operations as the headquarters for Multi-National Division - Baghdad. The 4th assumed responsibility on January 7, 2006 for four provinces in central and southern Iraq: Baghdad, Karbala, An-Najaf and Babil. On 7 January 2006, MND-Baghdad also assumed responsibility for training Iraqi security forces and conducting security operations in the four provinces.

The 36th Aviation Brigade's subordination is unclear. It is definitely deployed within MNF-I but whether it is actually under 4th Infantry Division/MND Baghdad is unknown.

The complete rotation to brigade level under MNF-I is as follows:

Headquarters: V Corps (Fwd)

* 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st AD (forward based in Kuwait)

* 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (ARNG)

* 36th Combat Aviation Brigade (Army National Guard)

* 4th Infantry Division (MND Baghdad)
** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th ID
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th ID
** 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th ID
** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
** 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

* 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st AD
** 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th ID
** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
** 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
** 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team

* I MEF (Fwd)/1st Marine Division
** RCT-5
** RCT-7
** 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th ID (ARNG)

OIF 06-08 rotation

The Pentagon announced on 20 June 2006 that units that will be deploying to Iraq as part of the OIF 06-08 rotation of forces:

* III Corps Headquarters, Fort Hood, Texas

* II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

* Division Headquarters, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Brigades, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

* Division Headquarters, 3rd Brigade, 45th Sustainment Brigade and 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

* 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska

* 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado

* 13th Corps Support Command, Fort Hood, Texas

* 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany

* 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York

OIF 07-09 rotation

* XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

* Division Headquarters, 3rd and 4th Brigades, 4st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

* Division Headquarters, 1st Armored Division, Wiesbaden, Germany

* Division Headquarters, 1st, 3rd and 4th Brigades, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart

* 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

* III Corps Support Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky

* 2nd Stryker Cavarly Regiment

* 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood

Multinational Corps Iraq now oversees divisions in the north of Iraq, in the west (Multi-National Division (West) (Iraq), usually manned by units of the United States Marine Corps), in Baghdad, in the Center South sector (Polish Division) and in the south (the British Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq).

Sources and External links

*Defendamerica.mil, [http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/aug2006/a080406dg1.html First Army Guard aviation brigade called to duty] , August 2006
*Stars and Stripes, [http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41594 15th MEU in Kuwait, training for move into Anbar province] , November 18, 2006
* [http://call.army.mil/products/on-point/cflcc.asp Full order of battle for "major combat" through May 1, 2003]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2003/07/mil-030723-dod03.htm OIF II rotation details]
* [http://www.mnf-iraq.com/ Official MNF-I site]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/04/mil-040428-usa04.htm CFLCC moves] , GlobalSecurity.org
* [http://www.casualty-monitor.org/2007/05/british-casualty-trends.html British Casualty Monitor: Tracking the war in Iraq]