El Paso native Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard tapped to lead U.S. forces in Iraq
Army Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard is the new commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq.
The announcement was included in a Department of Defense news release Thursday about U.S. forces being sent to Iraq to deal with the growing crisis in that country.
Pittard, an El Paso native and graduate of Eastwood High School, was commanding general of Fort Bliss starting in 2010 and 1 st Armored Division in May 2011. He relinquished both positions in May 2013.
He then became the deputy commander for the Third U.S. Army in Kuwait, where his duties included overseeing the American military operation in Jordan.
According to an Armed Forces Press Service release, U.S. forces in Baghdad have opened a joint operations center in the city to assess the security situation in the wake of the rapid territorial gains made by Sunni militants, bringing the number of American service members there to about 500, Defense Department officials said today.
“An additional four teams of U.S. advisors arrived in the Iraqi capital last night,” Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said, bringing the number of teams to six.
Warren described the deployments as enhanced teams commanded by lieutenant colonels that are fanning out across Baghdad and assessing the Iraqi military.
President Barack Obama ordered the teams to Iraq following gains made by Syrian-based Sunni militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant who have overrun towns and cities across Iraq’s northern and western provinces as they move closer to Baghdad, facing little or no resistance from Iraqi security forces.
The four teams bring 50 people with them, which puts the number of American assessors on the ground to 90. Warren said an additional 90 personnel have set up the joint operations center in Baghdad, meaning 180 of the possible 300 U.S. service members Obama said he is prepared to send to Iraq have arrived,” according to the release.
Overall, there are approximately 500 American military personnel in Iraq.
“Some of them are conducting an advise and assist mission, some are manning the joint operations center, some of them are part of the [Office of Security Cooperation] and yet others are Marines that are part of a [fleet anti-terrorism security team] platoon,” Warren said.
Warren said the assessment teams are mostly made up of Army Special Forces personnel and they will advise and assist the Iraqi military at various levels of command.
The teams will take two to three weeks to assess the Iraqi military and make their reports, officials said.
Warren would not comment on reports that Iran is operating drones over Iraq and supplying the Baghdad government with arms.
Warren called on all regional countries to “participate constructively in the situation” in Iraq because the United States does not want ethnic or religious tensions increased.
Warren said the United States will establish another joint operations center in northern Iraq in the coming days or weeks.
Obama and Pittard met with Pittard and Fort Bliss soldiers and families in Aug. 2010, the same day he announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PITTARD BY CLICKING LINKS BELOW
Maj. Gen. Pittard’s final thoughts as he leaves Fort Bliss May 23, 2013
Pittard family reunited with family heirloom May 04, 2013
Fort Bliss credits training for drop in suicides February 04, 2013 Ft. Bliss Commander responds to new role for women in military January 24, 2013 President Obama: If you’re hurting, it’s not a sign of weakness to seek help, it’s a sign of strength August 31, 2012 Obama visiting Fort Bliss on Friday, the 2nd anniversary of last post visit August 27, 2012
Read, Watch Obama’s Speech To Fort Bliss SoldiersAugust 31, 2010
New Fort Bliss Commander Has El Paso ConnectionMay 20, 2010
