No decision yet on shift of I Corps headquarters

By Hal Bernton
Seattle Times staff reporter

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The I Corps (pronounced first corps) command structure controls some 40,000 active-duty and reserve troops across the country, including those at Fort Lewis.

The move is intended to put the I Corps command closer to areas of potential Asian trouble spots. It would be part of a broader effort to realign U.S. forces in the Pacific. But it has been a sensitive subject in Japan, and Dubik stressed that government negotiators have not reached any final decisions, and that there is no timeline for a possible move.

"We're going to wait for the political decisions first, and then execute it as the governments allow," Dubik said

It also is unclear whether a possible shift would involve all, or a part, of the I Corps headquarters, Dubik said.

The move would send the unit to Camp Zama in the Kanagawa Prefecture. The Pentagon had hoped to have the details settled before the U.S. presidential elections, but negotiations have been slowed by concerns among Japanese officials and residents over U.S. military training accidents and the conduct of American soldiers, according to the Army Times.

Even with the move, Fort Lewis would continue to play a key role in the Army's effort to transform itself into a 21st-century fighting force.

Fort Lewis was the testing ground for development of the Army's Stryker brigades, which feature a new generation of eight-wheeled fighting vehicles, high-tech communications and other innovations. Two of the Army's six Stryker brigades are based at Fort Lewis, and a third is expected to arrive for at least a temporary assignment sometime next year. That shift will add another 3,900 troops, and boost the total base personnel to some 29,000.

Dubik, who took command of the base this week, was stationed at Fort Lewis from 1975-78, and then again from 1999-2000 to help organize the Stryker brigades. Dubik said the development of the Stryker brigades is spurring broader changes at higher levels of the Army involving division and corps structures, and he will be aiding in that effort.

Dubik said Fort Lewis is a "great place," and he is glad to be back.

But if the negotiations transfer I Corps, Dubik could end up finishing his command in Japan.

Hal Bernton: 206-464-2510 or hbernton@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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