As the U.S. military surges about 30,000 more troops into Iraq, Hawai'i-based Marines are experiencing a surge of their own as the war enters its fifth year.

About 1,000 Kane'ohe Bay Marines with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment are headed to the Haditha area along the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad to replace a like number of Hawai'i Marines returning home after a seven-month tour.

More than 600 Marines with the 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, an artillery unit, are deploying without the big guns to be provisional military police.

Another several hundred Hawai'i Marines with a CH-53D helicopter squadron will replace a sister unit from Kane'ohe Bay.

It all adds up to at least 2,000 Hawai'i leathernecks in western Anbar province.

"We're going to have a big support for Iraq," said Maj. Chris Perrine, a base spokesman. "It's the first time for 1/12 to deploy and the first time for them to go as military police, and it's the most (Marines) that we'll have over there in Iraq at one time."

About 300 Marines and sailors with the artillery unit are leaving Hawai'i today in its first battalion-sized combat deployment since Operation Desert Shield in 1990, said Lt. Col. Stephen E. Liszewski, the unit's commander.

Officials said the Hawai'i buildup is not part of the surge that's adding 30,000 more U.S. troops to the 141,000 already in the country.

"Since we're not using much artillery in Iraq, we still have a lot of personnel in the artillery field, and so they have that additional role now — military police," Perrine said. "Other artillery battalions have done it as well."

Military police patrol, provide security for units, man checkpoints and guard prisoners.

Since the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines deployed to Iraq in 2004 — taking part in the bloody Battle of Fallujah late that year — there has been a constant stream of Hawai'i Marine units to the country, with more now training for future deployments.

Returning Marines say Haditha and neighboring Barwana and Haqlaniyah remain dangerous places where snipers and roadside bombs continue to take a toll. Since September, when the 2nd Battalion arrived in Iraq, 23 Hawai'i Marines from its ranks were killed.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.