More than 200 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division's Task Force 4th
Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment will deploy from Pope Air Force
Base, North Carolina, to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, Jan 22, to take over
observer duties as part of the Multinational Forces and Observers peacekeeping
contingent. These soldiers make up the last of the 548-soldier task force to
deploy for the six month duty.
The task force is the first light infantry battalion task force composed of
active Army, National Guard, and Reserve soldiers.
For the last 13 years, the United States has provided infantry task forces to
observe the security measures set forth in the Camp David Accords between Egypt
and Israel. Until now, the Army has rotated active duty battalions from its
light infantry divisions.
Task Force 4-505 Infantry was formed specifically to support the MFO mission
and marks the first time volunteers from the reserve components of the National
Guard and Army Reserve have been integrated in the same unit with active duty
soldiers. This initiative is designed to free active component battalions for
other training and contingency operations.
Media wishing to cover the departure should contact Major Jim Hinnant, 82nd
Airborne Division PAO, at (910) 432-0662 no later than Jan. 20. For more
information, contact Major Ray Whitehead at (703) 697-7589.
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