Global War on Terror

Rhode Island in the Global War on Terror, 2001 – 2027)

After the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush declared a ‘War on Terror’ directing United States military forces to attack militant Islamist targets throughout the world to root out terrorism.

The American response began in the fall of 2001 with the destruction of al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan; the United States and NATO allies remained in the country fighting an insurgency until 2021 when all American forces were withdrawn from the country.

In March 2003, believing Iraq to have weapons of mass destruction, American and British forces invaded Iraq. After initial success and freeing its people from Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime, the conflict spiraled into a counterinsurgency in which terrorist groups were funneled into Iraq to fght coalition forces for the next 8 years until the conventional American forces withdrew in 2011.

After decades of being a strategic reserve, the National Guard came into its own as an operational force side by side with its regular Army counterparts, with every unit in the Rhode Island National Guard being deployed multiple times during the conflict to both Iraq, Afghanistan, and throughout the Central Command area of responsibility. Guard units also deployed domestically to guard key infrastructure throughout Rhode Island and the United States.

Notable facts about Rhode Island’s role in the war:

The 43rd Military Police Brigade and 118th Military Police Battalion deployed multiple
times to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.
Units assigned to the 103rd Field Artillery Brigade headquarters and 1-103 FA
Battalion saw active service in Iraq as a composite Military Police formation in 2004,
2007, and 2011, while also fring their frst artillery mission since World War II in 2004.
The 56th Troop Command out of East Greenwich sent numerous aviation, infantry,
engineer, and special operations units to deploy in support of the War.
The 1-126 AV from Quonset Point deployed numerous times to both Iraq and Afghanistan performing both transport and medical evacuation missions. The Brigade’s

Continuation of The Global War On Terror

infantry units, the 173D Long Range Surveillance Detachment, and Delta Company,
3-172 IN (MTN) deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 2005. Alpha Co, 1-182 IN and C Co, 1-143
IN (A) deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012.
The Special Operations Detachment – Global and Alpha Company, 2-19 Special Forces
Group deployed 9 times throughout all areas of operation during the War conducting
counterinsurgency, host nation training support, and command and control in direct
support of combat operations.
The 143rd Airlift Wing and the Air National Guard with its new C-130J Hercules aircraft
deployed throughout the confict providing military support and participated in dozens
of deployments all over the world during the War on Terror.
4,785 Rhode Islanders served with 6 killed in action and 69 wounded.