RING THE BELLS! RING THE BELLS!

The U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, the unit delayed from leaving Iraq when a pair of rebel uprisings flared in April, is scheduled to depart Iraq by July 15, the head of U.S. military operations in Iraq said.

Replacing the Germany-based division will be a brigade combat team from the Army's 10th Mountain Division and a pair of U.S. Marine brigades, said Army Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz. Those units will start arriving in Iraq by the end of June, Metz said...

Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there was a small possibility 1st Armored's stay in Iraq could be extended again, but Metz said that possibility was "infinitesimally small."

"We're doing everything we can to have all Task Force 1st Armored out of harm's way by 15 July," Metz said on Thursday. "We're on the glide path to achieve that."

The task force includes the Army's Louisiana-based 2nd Armored Cavalry regiment, which has been attached to 1st Armored, and support elements.

We in the community here have been hearing that the return dates would be in July...but had received nothing official to this point. However, I'll take the word of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations.

(Thanks to Joyce and Barbara for each sending me the link. Whoo Hoo!)