The 1,700 citizen soldiers of the Hawai'i National Guard's 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are in place in Kuwait.

Now, 4,500 Schofield Barracks soldiers are in northern Iraq.

About 3,500 soldiers with the 3rd Brigade and 1,000 with the 25th Infantry Division headquarters, including Maj. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr., are part of the deployment.

That's in addition to the 4,000 Schofield soldiers of Hawai'i's Stryker Brigade who are in the tail end of a 15-month deployment to the Taji and Tarmiyah areas just north of Baghdad.

Schofield Barracks is an empty place these days.

Master Sgt. Mike Wetzel, a spokesman for the 25th Infantry Division in Iraq, said a formal "transfer of authority" is scheduled tomorrow.

"Task Force Lightning" is taking over for the 1st Armored Division-led "Task Force Iron" in northern Iraq. The 1st is returning to Wiesbaden, Germany.

The 3rd Brigade out of Schofield had its own transfer of authority on Nov. 22, replacing the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division headquartered at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Both the 3rd Brigade and division headquarters are based out of Contingency Operating Base Speicher, about 12 miles northwest of Tikrit.

The 3rd Brigade has responsibility for Salah ah Din and Kirkuk provinces, and troops operate in those areas. The 25th Division will have responsibility for all northern provinces, and Task Force Lightning soldiers will be operating across the north on any given day.

Iraq is an increasingly quieter place, as far as combat goes.

It wasn't always that way for Task Force Iron.

An Army Reserve major with the task force posted some stats on his blog at upcountryiraq.blogspot .com/2008/11/task-force-iron.html.

The entry was made on Nov. 23.

The major reports more than 3,000 roadside bombs were found and cleared, and that there were more than 1,300 enemy killed in action.

According to the blog, 90 Task Force Iron soldiers were killed in combat since October 2007, and 14 others died from non-combat related injuries.

"Just inside division headquarters is an electronic bulletin board that continuously rotates through the names and faces of our colleagues from (Task Force) Iron who died on this deployment," the major said. "It is a humbling reminder of those who will not be going home to their families in quite the same fashion that the rest of us will go home."

IN BRIEF

PEARL HARBOR ATTACK OBSERVED

On today's 67th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on O'ahu, some observances are going on and some already have been held that don't get a lot of media attention.

Several survivors of the attack on Hickam Field will gather for a remembrance ceremony at Hickam Air Force Base. The 7:50 a.m. ceremony includes a flag presentation to the survivors, wreath laying, a flyover and a seven-gun salute.

Approximately 50 Japanese dive bombers and fighters struck Hickam Field. The first targets hit were the Hawaiian Air Depot's engineering building and the hangar area, where A-20, B-18, and B-17 bombers were parked wingtip to wingtip.

Sabotage had been feared more than an enemy attack, so instead of being dispersed and in readiness for immediate takeoff, the aircraft were bunched together in one place where they could be closely guarded.

A total of 244 were killed that day at Army Air Force installations and 76 aircraft were destroyed.

A commemoration will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. at the former Marine Corps Air Station Ewa at the Ewa Field aircraft ramp site. Ewa Field is part of the old Barbers Point Naval Air Station. Access is off Corregidor Road.

A 67th anniversary wreath-laying ceremony was scheduled Friday at the Kane'ohe Klipper Memorial to honor the 18 sailors and one civilian contractor who died during the Japanese attack against Naval Air Station Kane'ohe Bay.

BIKERS RIDE IN HOLIDAY TOY RUN

The 34th annual Street Bikers United Toy Run today will showcase motorcycles from clubs around the Islands and around the world as they make their way from Magic Island through Waikiki to Kapi'olani Community College.

The Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program will benefit from the ride. Thousands of motorcyclists are expected to take part in this event.

Riders will depart Magic Island in four groups around 11 a.m., and each group will be led by Honolulu Police Department motorcycle officers.

Reserve Marines from the 4th Force Reconnaissance Company will lead the procession, and remain at the KCC parking lot near Diamond Head to collect toys until all the riders complete the run.

This year marks the 61st anniversary of the Marine Corps' national Toys for Tots program. Since 1996, Marines in Hawai'i have collected nearly 600,000 toys and nearly $340,000 to purchase toys for more than 370,000 children. Every toy and dollar collected in Hawai'i to purchase toys stays in Hawai'i, the Marine Corps said. This year's goal is to collect 40,000 toys. The Salvation Army is once again handling the distribution of all donated toys.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.