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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Four members of Arkansas’s Congressional Delegation traveled this week to Iraq as part of an official trip to visit the roughly 3,000 members of the 39th Infantry Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard on their second deployment to Iraq within four years.
U.S. Senator Mark Pryor along with U.S. Representatives Marion Berry (AR-01), John Boozman (AR-03) and Mike Ross (AR-04), traveled to Iraq August 2 – 4, 2008. The delegation visited with Arkansas troops, thanked them for their service, and got a first-hand report on the status of the U.S. military’s mission in Iraq including meeting with Army General David Petraeus and Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, to discuss the country’s progress with energy production and reconstruction and rebuilding efforts.
“I came here again to talk to troops and military leadership on the ground,” said Sen. Mark Pryor. “One thing I know for sure is that Arkansas troops, including the 39th, are performing great. I wanted to let them know that we appreciate their service, and to find out how I could help them and their families.”
“Many people know that I never rise to speak without asking those listening to remember to keep our men and women in uniform and their families in their thoughts and prayers as they serve our country,” said Rep. Marion Berry. “One of the main reasons I wanted to make this trip to Iraq was to see for myself that the troops have all the tools and resources they need while serving overseas. Their call to duty must be honored with our commitment to give them everything they need while serving abroad and when they return home. I also wanted the opportunity to personally thank the troops for all they do and let them know that I continue to be humbled by their commitment to our nation.”
“I appreciate the sacrifices the soldiers and the families of the 39th Infantry Brigade are making,” said Rep. John Boozman. “I’m proud of the hard work our soldiers are doing to help continue the successful progress we’ve achieved in Iraq.”
“It was an honor to meet the men and women of the 39th Infantry Brigade who have left behind their families, friends and careers to answer the call of duty halfway across the world, and I was proud to personally thank them for their selfless sacrifices,” said Rep. Mike Ross, who also visited Iraq in 2004. “We can never fully repay them for answering the call to duty, but as a member of Congress who represents many of these brave soldiers each week at our nation’s Capitol, I felt that it was my obligation to ensure that they have the best equipment and resources possible to allow them to effectively carry out their mission so that they can safely return home to their families.”
As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Ross was the official lead member of the trip, which he coordinated with the U.S. Army. The delegation traveled to U.S. military bases in Al Asad and Baghdad, Iraq.
The 39th Infantry Brigade, known as the “Arkansas Brigade,” is the largest combat command within Arkansas and is headquartered in Little Rock. The Brigade was federally mobilized on Jan. 2, 2008, for a one-year mobilization in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 39th was last deployed to Iraq in 2004. The approximately 3,000 soldiers with the Brigade are anticipated to return home in January 2009, according to the Arkansas National Guard.
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