Subject: [OMJP] US ARMY TO USE PORT OF OLYMPIA FOR WAR THIS WEEK Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 14:37:20 -0700 From: Larry Mosqueda This breaking news story (tomorrow's Olympian) is about the Army starting to use the Port of Olympia to use move military equipment to Iraq. The murderous policies of the Bush administration in Iraq will now carry an Olympia label. Each group that is meeting this week and individuals should take this under consideration. BREAKING NEWS news updated: 12:54 AM 5/19/2004.3 Port of Olympia to ship military vehicles The U.S. Army will begin operations Thursday at the Port of Olympia in preparation for loading a vessel bound for southwest Asia. The deployment is related to moving equipment to the war in Iraq, said Judi Warren, a public information officer with the 833rd U.S. Army Transportation Battalion in Seattle. Some of the equipment will come from Fort Lewis. She said as many as 400 Army vehicles and pieces of equipment are expected to arrive at the port in connection with loading a ship. Warren estimated the operation could take up to two weeks to complete. Warren said the Army has not used the Port of Olympia for such a deployment since the mid 1980s. Such shipments normally go through the Port of Tacoma. The Army will manage security of the operation and use local longshore employees. Besides over-the-road vehicles, the operation also could include the use of trains shipping equipment from Fort Irwin in California, Warren said.