Washington National Guard unit pulls into Baghdad

By Hal Bernton
Seattle Times staff reporter

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The Washington Army National Guard unit will serve in Baghdad and support convoys that ferry supplies in and out of the city, said Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, commander of the state Guard. But in recent days, the unit has largely been focused on transition duties as the soldiers take over from troops scheduled to leave Iraq.

Members of the 81st Brigade come from all over Washington state, as well as other western states. They are scheduled for a 12-month tour of duty. The brigade arrived in Iraq via convoys that traveled north from Kuwait.

Several soldiers were injured in a convoy accident, Lowenberg said. None of the injuries was life-threatening.

The 81st arrives at a tense time for U.S. troops, as they try to quell urban violence.

Lowenberg said his soldiers have the latest in body armor, as well as night-vision goggles and other critical gear. "Everything has been exactly as promised," he said.

Hal Bernton: 206-464-2581 or hbernton@seattletimes.com

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