ST ), ▁B ▁For ward ▁Support ▁Company , ▁ 5 2 8 th ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Support ▁Battalion ▁( A ), ▁A ▁Company , ▁ 9 th ▁PS Y OP ▁Battalion , ▁elements ▁and ▁the ▁ 9 6 th ▁and ▁ 4 0 4 th ▁Civil ▁Affairs ▁Batt al ions ▁( Special ▁Oper ations ); ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ' s ▁ 3 5 2 nd ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Group ; ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Marine ▁Corps ' s ▁ 2 6 th ▁Marine ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Unit ; ▁and ▁ind igen ous ▁Kur d ish ▁P esh mer ga . ▁All ▁U . S . ▁units ▁were ▁initially ▁pre position ed ▁in ▁Const an ţ a , ▁Roman ia ▁beginning ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁except ▁the ▁ 1 7 3 rd ▁based ▁in ▁Vic enza , ▁Italy , ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 6 th ▁ME U ▁based ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁I wo ▁J ima ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Re ady ▁Group ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea . ▁The ▁task ▁force ' s ▁mix ▁of ▁conventional ▁and ▁special ▁operations ▁personnel ▁number ed ▁approximately ▁ 5 , 2 0 0 ▁and ▁fell ▁under ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Command ▁J oint ▁Oper ations ▁Center ▁( U SS O COM ▁J OC ). ▁The ▁Task ▁Force ' s ▁mot to ▁was ▁" Con ced e ▁Nothing ." ▁ ▁F acing ▁Task ▁Force ▁Vik ing ▁were ▁two ▁divisions ▁of ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Republican ▁Guard ,