Third Army conducting 'Responsible Drawdown' from Iraq

By Third Army PAOMarch 17, 2010

Third Army conducting Responsible Drawdown
Spc. Robert-Lee Pass performs preventative maintenance checks and services on his Heavy Expanded Mobility Truck, or HEMT wrecker, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. His National Guard unit, the 1166th Combat Heavy Equipment Transportation Company, is supportin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT MCPHERSON, Ga. (March 17, 2010) -- Third Army and other commands are in the process of conducting a Responsible Drawdown from Iraq unprecedented in recent military history.

Third Army's mission in the Responsible Drawdown efforts since October has resulted in more than $1.25 billion worth of equipment and supplies being retrograded out of theater, along with more than $145 million worth of theater provided equipment redistributed from Iraq to Afghanistan.

About 45 percent of the equipment being drawn down from Iraq has been identified or is being processed to fill requirements in Afghanistan. Retrograde and redistribution of these stocks and supplies to the United States and Afghanistan has netted $907 million in cost avoidance and savings this fiscal year, Third Army officials said.

Efforts by the ARCENT Support Element - Iraq have resulted in:

- More than 136,000 items of equipment processed by ASE-I since June 2009.

- More than 125,000 items are non-rolling stock and more than 11,000 are wheeled vehicles.

- Of the more than 136,000 items, more than 60,000 items have arrived or are being processed for movement to Afghanistan.

"We continue to communicate daily to ensure that we are synchronized with the theater commander's equipment priorities," said Lt. Gen. William G. Webster, Third Army commander. "Our actions ensure war fighters always have what they need, as well as meeting our Army's requirements for a successful reset."

Third Army will continue through the rest of this year "setting the theater" to prepare the way forward, officials there said. They said Third Army has proven its capabilities sustaining the theater for more than eight years, regardless of the complex challenges its servicemembers, civilians, and contractors have faced.