Send-off for the ‘Extremadura’ Brigade contingent before leaving for Iraq

The contingent which will take over in Iraq in November said goodbye to their colleagues from the 6th ‘Extremadura’ Brigade with a military parade on the 25th of October, in the General Menacho base in Bótoa, in Badajoz.

Presided over by the chief of the Brigade, General Javier Romero Marí, this ceremony brings to a close the pre-deployment preparation phase. The contingent, which will be under the command of Colonel Cesar García Del Castillo, is made up of over 500 men and women from more than 30 units in the Army and the Guardia Civil. The 67th ‘Old Sicilian Third’ Regiment, based in San Sebastian and part of the XI Brigade, is contributing the most staff, approximately 40% of the total number.

The staff will spend the next six months in the ‘Gran Capitán’ base in Besmayah, south-east of Baghdad. Once they are in the area, they will join the fight against terrorism which is being carried out by the American-led coalition, which considers the training of the Iraqi Army to be one of the pillars of its role in Iraq.

The contingent in formation during the leaving ceremony