Iraq Troop Boost Will Mean Longer Tours

Fort Campbell solider David Peveto says he is very interested in what President Bush has to say about the war in Iraq as he eats breakfast in Fort Campbell, Ky., Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007. Peveto says he supports additional troops if it is necessary to accomplish the mission. (AP Photo/John Russell) (John Russell - AP)

WASHINGTON -- The military's plan for filling President Bush's order for an extra 21,500 troops in Iraq will include only one major combat unit that was not otherwise scheduled to go.

The rest of the boost will come from sending a few brigades earlier than planned and extending the tours of others. Affected will be units based in Minnesota, Kansas, Georgia and Washington, said a military official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been publicly released.

The White House said the Army would add 17,500 soldiers in Baghdad and the Marines would put 4,000 more in western Anbar Province, the center of the Sunni Arab insurgency.

Whether the military push proves successful or not, it will have ramifications later for an Army and Marine Corps that already are stretched thin.

Some units will have less time at home for rest and retraining between tours than their commanders would like. And the faster pace of deployments could force the Pentagon to call on National Guard and Reserve units more frequently _ possibly to remobilize some that already have served in Iraq.

According to the military official, who provided no dates,

_The 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, will stay longer than planned in Iraq;

_The 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas, will deploy to Iraq earlier than planned;

_The 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., will deploy early;

_ The 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Ga., will deploy early;

_ And the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Benning, Ga., will deploy early.

President Bush planned to visit Fort Benning Thursday morning as part of an effort to promote his revamped Iraq strategy. Brigades typically have about 3,500 troops.