(Fayetteville [NC] Observer) - Since the early 1980s, the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division has - grudgingly sometimes - sent a battalion to the Sinai about every two years to safeguard the peace between Egypt and Israel. With almost 3,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, it appears the 82nd will not be taking part in the Multinational Force and Observers in the near future. MFO duty takes 500 to 700 soldiers away from other duties for more than their six months of deployment. The soldiers also have to switch from their traditional combat training in order to become peacekeepers and observers.
2002-08-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive