1/5 Marines replacing 2/5 Marines in Ramadi

A U.S. Marines news article reports that the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment will be replacing the 2/5 Marines in Ramadi. The 1/5 Marines are part of the 1st Marine Division, but will serve a 7-month tour under the command of the 2nd Marine Division as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom 3. There is no published date for the official change of command, nor is there official word of whether the 1/5 Marines will assume the same role within the 2nd BCT as the departing 2/5 Marines.

This is the 3rd deployment in Iraq for the 1/5 Marines. The battalion was involved with the initial offensive into Iraq (OIF 1), including capturing Saddam Hussein's presidential palace in downtown Baghdad (a book was written about the event). The battalion was also involved in the April 2004 assault on Fallujah as part of OIF 2.

Summary information on the battalion is found at globalsecurity.org and the 1st Marine Division web-site.

Additional stories of their recent training:
- 1/5 support element cross-trains, hones warfighting skills
- Simulation: Iraqi Police Officer killed during SASO