III Corps preparing to take command of coalition efforts in Iraq (GNFI)

By Jon R. Anderson, Stars and Stripes European edition, Saturday, December 20, 2003

HEIDELBERG, Germany — The headquarters that went from planning and leading the charge into Iraq to coordinating the capture of Saddam Hussein is preparing to hand off control of occupation duties in February.

After some 14 months in the Middle East, the Germany-based V Corps will turn over command of coalition forces in Iraq to the Fort Hood, Texas-based III Corps.

“The corps headquarters will begin leaving for Iraq around the first two weeks of January,” said III Corps spokesman Dan Hassett.

Hassett said about 700 troops were deploying, led by corps commander Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz and Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey.

Just as V Corps has, the III Corps staff will form the leadership nucleus for Combined Joint Task Force 7 that oversees U.S. and allied forces throughout the country from one of Saddam’s former palaces in Baghdad.

The official transfer of authority between the two commands is tentatively slated for Feb. 1, said V Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Kevin Gainer.

V Corps troops are expected to begin shipping back to Germany shortly after their replacements begin arriving from Texas.

“There will be some overlap, but we’re hoping everyone will be home by early February,” said Gainer. “But things are still adjusting. I wouldn’t want to put a hard date to it.”

V Corps commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez is expected to remain in the region beyond the transfer of authority, although in what capacity remains to be seen.

“We’re still working on that,” said Gainer, “but he’s not coming with the regular movement of troops. He will remain to provide some continuity.”

A spokesman for Sanchez’s boss, Central Command chief Gen. John Abizaid, declined to elaborate.

“It’s premature to discuss that,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nick Balice from Abizaid’s headquarters in Florida. “I’m not aware the decision has even been made.”

The transfer between the two corps in February will begin a near-complete turnover of active-duty and Reserve forces throughout Iraq expected to wrap up by early summer. Among the biggest units returning are the Europe-based 1st Armored Division and 173rd Airborne Brigade and the U.S.-based 4th Infantry Division, along with the 101st and 82nd airborne divisions.

Replacing those forces will be a 105,000-strong contingent from units in Europe and the United States. In addition to III Corps, some 20,000 troops are deploying from Fort Hood alone, said Hassett.

The return of V Corps to Germany will mark the end of one of the longest deployments for the war in Iraq. In fact, V Corps will be one of the last units to leave among those that initially launched the assault to topple Saddam’s government.

The Corps headquarters was dispatched to Kuwait in November 2002 for war games designed to rehearse invasion plans. After a two-week respite over the Christmas holidays, the staff returned to oversee the buildup for the war.

For those now preparing to return, there is a mixture of reflection and excitement while still trying to stay focused on the job.

“It definitely has opened my eyes to what the military is about. This is my first duty station,” said Spc. Elizabeth Mitchell, 20, of El Paso, Texas, an administrative specialist for the corps. “It’s something to look back on and say, ‘Wow, I was here during Operation Iraqi Freedom.’”

The deployment has been so long, she said, it’s hard to believe it’s really wrapping up.

“When I see it happen I’ll believe it,” said Mitchell. “I don’t have a sense of urgency yet, like I have to start sending stuff back or forwarding mail. I’ve not grasped that I’m going back to Germany yet.”

“If we end up staying longer, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” said Pierce. “When I’m home, that’s when I’ll enjoy it.”

WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN THIS ON NATIONAL TV?

The following is a list of accomplishments that have been achieved in Iraq that, unfortunately, have not been reported in the media since
President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1:

-The first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on
active duty.

-Over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.

-Nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.

-The Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.

-On Monday, October 6, power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding
the prewar average.

-All 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open,
as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.

-By October 1, Coalition forces had rehabilitated over 1,500
schools-500 more than scheduled.

-Teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.

-All 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.

-Doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under
Saddam.

-Pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700
tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.

-The Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to
Iraq's children.

-A Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's
27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals, which now irrigate tens of
thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000
Iraqi men and women.

-We have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and
over two-thirds of the potable water production.

-There are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect 50,000
by year-end.

-The wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes
to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities
and towns.

-95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time
customers are opening accounts daily.

-Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.

-The central bank is fully independent.

-Iraq has one of the world's most growth-oriented investment and
banking laws.

-Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.

-Satellite TV dishes are legal.

-Foreign journalists aren't on 10-day visas paying mandatory and
extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other
government spies.

-There is no Ministry of Information.

-There are more than 170 newspapers.

-You can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.

-Foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.

-A nation that had not one single element-legislative, judicial or
executive-of a representative government, now does.

-In Baghdad alone, residents have selected 88 advisory councils.
Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when
the city council elected its new chairman.

-Today in Iraq, chambers of commerce, business, school and professional
organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.

-25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in
Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.

-The Iraqi government regularly participates in international events.
Since July, the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen
international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the
Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference
Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is
reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world.

-Shia religious festivals that were all but banned aren't.

-For the first time in 35 years, in Karbala, thousands of Shiites
celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.

-The Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large
and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.

-Uday and Queasy are dead-and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis to the
zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force
cooperation, torturing Iraq's soccer players for losing games, or
murdering critics.

-Children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree
with the government.

-Political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or
are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.

-Millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror.

-Saudis will hold municipal elections.

-Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.

-Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.

-The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian-a
Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy
and for peace.

-Saddam is gone.

-Iraq is free.

-President Bush has not faltered or failed. Yet, little or none of this
information has been published by the Press corps that prides itself on
bringing you all the news that's important.

-Iraq, under the US led Coalition, has come further in six months than
Germany did in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII.
Military deaths from fanatic Nazi's and Japanese numbered in the
thousands and continued for over three years after WWII victory was
declared.

-It took the US over four months to clear away the Twin Tower debris,
let alone attempt to build something else in its place.

Now, take into account that Congress fought President Bush on every
aspect of his handling of this country's war and the post-war
reconstruction; and that they continue to claim on a daily basis on
national TV that this conflict has been a failure. Taking everything
into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our brothers and
sisters in this conflict, do you think anyone else in the world could
have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush
administration in so short a period of time?

These are things worth writing about. Get the word out. Write to
someone you think may be able to influence our Congress or the press to
tell the story.
-From the Commanding Officer at MWSS-171 (written to his Marines)

http://www.hood.army.mil/pao/Corps_staff/corps_cg.htm

Lieutenant General Thomas F. Metz assumed command of III US Corps on 7 February 2003.

LTG Thomas Metz was born in North Carolina, where he lived until enlisting in the Army in June 1966. In August, after BCT at Fort Gordon, Georgia, he entered the United States Military Academy Preparatory School. LTG Metz received a Regular Army Appointment to the United States Military Academy, and he entered in July 1967. Upon graduation from West Point in June 1971, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry.

From March 1972 until January 1975, LTG Metz served as Platoon Leader, Assistant S-3, Scout Platoon Leader, and Combat Support Company Executive Officer with 1st Battalion, 509th Airborne Infantry, in Germany and Italy.

LTG Metz took command of Company C, 10th BCT Battalion, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in January 1976. He relinquished command in June 1976 to become the Aide-de-Camp for the Commander, Readiness Region VI, at Fort Knox, Kentucky. While at Fort Knox, he commanded C Company, 4th Battalion, 54th Infantry (Mechanized), 194th Armored Brigade, from June 1977 until June 1978.

LTG Metz returned to West Point in June 1981 and was an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department until May 1984. He moved to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was the S-3 and XO of the 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry (Mechanized); and the S-3, 197th Separate Infantry Brigade (Mechanized). While at Fort Benning, he also served as a Division Chief in the Infantry School's Combat Developments Directorate from May 1986 until June 1987.

Returning to Fort Knox in June 1987, LTG Metz commanded the 4th Battalion, 15th Infantry (Mechanized), 194th Armored Brigade, until July 1989. From June 1990 until June 1992, he served as the G-3, 2d Infantry Division, Republic of Korea.

LTG Metz commanded the 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), from July 1992 to July 1994. He then served as the Division and Fort Riley Chief of Staff until May 1995. After his tour in the 1st Infantry Division, LTG Metz joined the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and served as Director of the Army's Experimental Force Coordination Cell for the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Hood, Texas, and the Assistant Division Commander for Support for the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized).

In February 1998, LTG Metz was assigned as the Deputy Director for Joint Warfighting Capabilities Assessment, J-8, until June 2000. LTG Metz served as Vice Director for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment, J-8, The Joint Staff, until November 2001.

On 7 November 2001, LTG Metz assumed command of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Fort Riley. During this time period, LTG Metz was chosen to serve for 4 months as the Chief of Staff, CENTCOM, during Operation Enduring Freedom from October 2002 to January 2003.

LTG Metz holds a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. He also holds a professional engineer's license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. His military schools include the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.

LTG Metz's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal with 2 Service Stars, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 3, Expert Infantry Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and Belgium Brevet "A" Commando.

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