Fort Lewis' active-duty troops likely to top 30,000

FORT LEWIS — Fort Lewis grew by nearly 5,500 soldiers in 2005, and it will continue to grow in coming years, with an additional 3,300 soldiers expected by the end of 2007.

The active-duty population at Fort Lewis is projected to top 30,000 in the next several years.

The Army post is facing other changes, as it works toward aligning with nearby McChord Air Force Base, a merger ordered by the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

The changes are being driven by the demands of the Iraq war and the Army's initiative to become a more efficient, responsive fighting force.

Several Fort Lewis units are to return home in the first part of this year after deployments overseas, including about 250 soldiers with the 170th Military Police Company and 504th Military Police Battalion, and some 450 soldiers of the 864th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) from Afghanistan.

Other units will be heading out. More than 3,500 soldiers in the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are gearing up for their second rotation in Iraq.

They became the first Stryker Brigade Combat Team sent into combat when they were deployed in late 2003. They'll ship out again in the middle of the year.

The brigade is named after the eight-wheeled armored vehicles that fill a gap between light infantry and heavy forces. The vehicles are back at Fort Lewis being overhauled and upgraded.

More than 500 soldiers are to arrive at Fort Lewis this year to become part of the new battalion of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

Dubbed the Nightstalkers, the regiment will covertly ferry special-operations soldiers into combat zones. It will work closely with two special-forces units stationed at Fort Lewis: the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and the 1st Special Forces Group.

Starting in February, the 7th Airlift Squadron from McChord will be deployed to oversee C-17 flights in and out of Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas.

Meanwhile, the Office of Secretary of Defense is reviewing an 800-plus-page report with recommendations on how the Fort Lewis-McChord merger should proceed.

"All we're doing is waiting for guidance on how they want us to implement it," said Lt. Erika Yepsen, a McChord spokeswoman.

The joint basing must be completed in six years.

Fort Lewis will see big changes for its three Stryker brigades. In addition to the deployment of the 3rd Brigade, many of the soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division will move to Germany. Those soldiers will form the core of a new Stryker brigade, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

Three Stryker brigades will remain at Fort Lewis, all under the command of the 2nd Infantry Division. The new unit to succeed the 1st Brigade will be activated at Fort Lewis sometime late this year or next year. It will be called the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

The brigade now known as the 2nd Cavalry Regiment soon will be called the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. It is converting into a Stryker brigade and will be ready for deployment in 2007 or 2008, if needed, depending on the status of the war in Iraq.