Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

creativity in accomplishing every assigned task. Their
contribution to JOINT ENDEAVOR, when they were the
only show south of the Sava, was critical in those early,
uncertain days.
Although the remainder of the Blue Falcons had little
idle time, the million-dollar question as I visited the combat
outposts was, “What is the latest on redeployment?” I
always believed, and told the soldiers and their families
from the first, that we would return when the job was done,
most likely in about 60 days.
In early February the momentum of the redeployment
planning picked up. EUCOM wanted the 3-325 ABCT to
prepare for possible contingency missions. Trouble was
brewing in Algeria, Central Africa, and Liberia, and the JCS
contingency planning for an Initial Force in the Golan
Heights included 3-325 ABCT.
On February 3, we received a USAREUR FRAGO,
through TF EAGLE, that directed our redeployment.
During this week the staff worked both the redeployment
planning with the TF EAGLE staff and future training
plans with the LION Brigade staff.
On February 10, we learned that 4-325 AIR was not
going to replace us in Tuzla. Although 4-325 AIR was
trained and completely packed for deployment, their
deployment was canceled. This presented the problem of a
replacement, and the TF EAGLE staff began work on the
options. On or about February 11, the decision was made to
form a composite unit under 5-3 Air Defense Artillery
Regiment to assume responsibility for Tuzla Airbase. This
unit was called TF Striker, consisting (to the best of my
memory) of the following elements:
• 3d Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment,
• C Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Cavalry,
• 212th MP Company.
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