Order Code RS22449
Updated July 20, 2007
U.S. Forces in Iraq
JoAnne O’Bryant and Michael Waterhouse
Information Research Specialists
Knowledge Services Group
Summary
Varying media estimates of military forces in Iraq have raised concerns about the
actual number of troops deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). As interest in troop
level deployments continue, recently, President Bush announced “a new strategy for
Iraq” on January 10, 2007, including a planned gradual increase of more than 20,000
U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province in the coming several
months. To accomplish this increase in part, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
announced on April 11, 2007, that all active-duty Army personnel in the U.S. Central
Command area would now serve 15-month tours in the region, up from the previous 12-
month rotations. This report provides solely Department of Defense (DOD) statistical
information on U.S. forces serving in Iraq. It also provides brief official information on
the military units scheduled for the next rotation of duty into Iraq. As of July 1, 2007,
according to DOD, the United States had 156,247 troops stationed in Iraq — 133,063
active component and 23,184 National Guard or Reserves. For security reasons, DOD
does not routinely report the composition, size, or specific destination of military forces
deployed to the Persian Gulf. This report will be updated upon receipt of new DOD
data. For additional information on U.S. forces, see CRS Report RL31701, Iraq: U.S.
Military Operations, by Steve Bowman.
Force Levels
As of July 1, 2007, according to Department of Defense (DOD), the United States
had 156,247 military personnel deployed in Iraq. Of these, 133,063 were active
component personnel and 23,184 were National Guard and Reserves. Figures 1 and 2
provide the distribution by armed service of active component personnel. These totals do
not include 12,000 military support personnel in Kuwait, nor naval personnel aboard ships
patrolling through the Persian Gulf.1
Amid concerns about U.S. troop levels, in a January 10, 2007 address to the nation,
President Bush announced an increase of more than 20,000 U.S. troops to be deployed to
1 DOD Fact Sheet, Global Commitments, January 9, 2007.

---

CRS-2
Iraq during the next several months as part of a new initiative in ongoing efforts to
stabilize the security situation. As announced, these forces will primarily be deployed to
Baghdad and Anbar province, the major current areas of unrest and conflict in Iraq. These
additional force levels were originally to be accomplished primarily by a stepped-up pace
of military unit rotations into Iraq and a delay for some personnel departures from that
country. However, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced on April 11, 2007, that
all active-duty Army personnel in the U.S. Central Command area will now serve 15-
month tours in the region effective immediately, up from the previous 12-month tour
rotations.2 These forces will gradually be added to the personnel stationed in Iraq, as
reported by DOD on January 1, 2007. Additional deployment information is available
from DOD’s Directorate for Information Operations, which posts quarterly reports on
casualties and worldwide active-duty military personnel deployments by region and
country. [http://siadapp.dior.whs.mil/personnel/MILITARY/Miltop.htm]
Figure 1. Active Component Personnel in Iraq
(as of July 1, 2007)
94,532
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
24,154
10,018
20,000
4,379
0
Army
Air Force
Navy
Marine
Corps
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.
2 American Forces Press Service, Gates Extends Army Tours in Iraq to 15 Months, April 11,
2007.

---

CRS-3
Figure 2. Reserve Component Personnel in Iraq
(as of July 1, 2007)
Army NG
13,747
1,180
Air NG
6,457
Army Rv
876
Air Rv
724
Navy Rv
200
Marines Rv
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.
Comparative Operation Iraqi Freedom U.S. Force Levels. Overall U.S.
force levels in Iraq have declined from November 2005 to February 2007, particularly the
Reserve Component. A slight increase in deployments occurred beginning in March 2007.
Based on DOD statistics, Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 provide comparative data on both active
and reserve component force levels. DOD officials have declined to project the timing
or size of future force reductions, noting these will depend upon the security situation
within Iraq.
Figure 3. OIF Active Component Force Levels (Feb 2006/July 2007)
94,532
100,000
Feb-06
Jul-07
90,000
75,472
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
24,134
23,514
30,000
8,906 10,018
20,000
4,379
2,858
10,000
0
Army
Navy
AF
MC
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.

---

CRS-4
Figure 4. OIF Reserve Component Force Levels (Feb 2006/July 2007)
16,898
18,000
16,000
13,747
Feb-06
Jul-07
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
5,981 6,457
6,000
4,000
1,608
1,212 1,180
876
2,000
261
655
724
200
0
Army NG
Air NG
Army Rv
AF Rv
Navy Rv
Marine Rv
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.
Figure 5. Comparative U.S. Force Levels in Iraq
(Nov 2005-Dec 2006)
157,982
160,000
147,796
137,365
139,421
133,718
130,231
140,000
128,789 131,057
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Nov
Feb
May
Jun
Aug
Oct
Nov
Dec
2005
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data, November 1, 2005 through
January 1, 2007.

---

CRS-5
Figure 6. Comparative U.S. Force Levels in Iraq
(Jan 2007-July 2007)
160,000
150,336
156,247
134,754
137,976 144,486
144,202
140,000
128,569
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Jan-07
Feb-07
Mar-07
Apr-07
May-07
Jun-07
Jul-07
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chief of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data,
January 1, 2007 through July 1, 2007.
Figure 7. Comparative U.S. Force Levels in Iraq
(Years 2005, 2006, and 2007)
200,000
157,982
156,247
147,796
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Nov 2005
Nov 2006
July 2007
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.

---

CRS-6
Operation Iraqi Freedom Troop Rotations. On May 8, 2007, DOD
announced its latest scheduled troop deployment and adjustments for unit rotations to
Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). These mid- to late 2007 scheduled
deployments to Iraq involve 10 brigade combat teams consisting of approximately
35,000 personnel and are summarized in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Operation Iraqi Freedom Mid- to Late 2007 Rotational Units
Military Unit
Home Military Base
Rotation to Iraq
Army
3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Fort Hood, TX
August, 2007
1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
Fort Campbell, KY
August or later, 2007
3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
Fort Campbell, KY
August or later, 2007
2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
Fort Campbell, KY
August or later, 2007
4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
Fort Polk, LA
August or later, 2007

1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
Fort Hood, TX
August or later, 2007
4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division
Fort Stewart, GA
August or later, 2007
2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
Schofield Barracks, HI
August or later, 2007
2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker)
Vilseck, Germany
August or later, 2007
2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division
Baumholder, Germany
August or later, 2007
Source: DOD News Release May 8, 2007.
These rotations and extensions of active duty Army tours to 15 months will
eventually build and maintain U.S. military capacity at 20 brigade or regimental
combat teams on the ground in Iraq.

---