Operation Vigilant Warrior Operation VIGILANT WARRIOR was a military operation from 8 October 1994 to 15 December 1994 by the United States in response to two divisions of Iraqi Republican Guard troops moving toward the Kuwaiti border . A quick response by United States President Bill Clinton allowed USCENTAF command and staff to deploy to Riyadh within days . On the evening of 7 October 1994 , 1st Brigade of the 24th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) based at Fort Stewart GA went on alert . The following day , lead elements of that Brigade , consisting of four line companies each from the 2 / 7 Infantry Battalion and 3 / 69 Armor Battalion plus the 2 / 7 Infantry Battalion Headquarters , deployed by air on orders to Camp Doha , Kuwait . Those elements completed the air movement within 48 hours . Within 72 hours , that reinforced brigade drew pre - positioned equipment stored at Camp Doha In addition two Patriot missile batteries from Fort Polk , Louisiana were dispatched to theater . On 8 October , 1st Force Service Support Group ( FSSG ) , I Marine Expeditionary Force , was put on alert . The 1st FSSG Forward ( FWD ) was manned up to deploy as the lead element for the 1st FSSG . The FSSG FWD deployed 120 Marines and equipment from March Air Force Base , CA to Dhahran , Saudi Arabia via Air Force Cargo Aircraft on 28 October 1994 . The unit then traveled north by convoy to the port of Al - Jubayli . At the same time , the 3rd Brigade , 24th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) deployed from Fort Benning GA to the port of Ad - Dammam , which would draw pre - positioned afloat equipment . Also on 8 October , the 23rd Wing ' s ( Flying Tigers ) 75th Fighter Squadron ( Tigersharks ) and its full complement of A - 10s initially deployed from Pope AFB , North Carolina to Dhahran AB , Saudi Arabia , followed by the first forward deployment to Ahmed al Jabber AB , Kuwait . This allowed better face - to - face coordination with tactical air control parties ( TACP ) assets further forward deployed at Camp Doha , Kuwait and points North . They initiated the first of a series of 120 - day rotations for the A - 10 community that continued until Operation IRAQI FREEDOM commenced . The United Kingdom ' s contribution was two warships , and , doubling their deployment of RAF Tornado GR1s ( originally six ) and increasing their troop numbers to 1 , 000 . Elements of the 45 Commando were airlifted into Kuwait . The Commandos operated alongside the 1st Brigade of 24th Infantry Division . Iraq recalled its ground forces during the last weeks of October . With no remaining need for the combat troops , retrograde began within a few days . The Marines departed from Dhahran , Saudi Arabia , on 5 November 1994 . Much of the 24th Infantry Division turned in the pre - positioned equipment and rotated out of Kuwait before Thanksgiving Day , but trail elements remained until the first days of December . The Joint Meritorious Unit Award given went to HQ US Training Mission Riyadh , Saudi Arabia , 8 October 1994 through December 15 , 1994 , for Operation Vigilant Warrior . US Service members who participated were authorized the Southwest Asia Service Medal , but not the Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Saudi Arabia ) nor the Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Kuwait ) due to these events taking place after the end dates of those specific medals . President Clinton visited the deployed troops in late October . On October 28 , he spoke to the members of the 1st Brigade , 24th Infantry Division at their positions in the desert to the northwest of Kuwait City . Clinton emphasized the speed at which the brigade deployed deterred a repeat of the 1991 invasion of Kuwait . Clinton stated , " You got here in a very big hurry . And because of that , Iraq got the message in a very big hurry . It withdrew its forces that were massed near the Kuwaiti border . " And to the joy of the deployed troops , he also announced they would be home before Christmas and they would receive additional combat zone deployment allowances ( amounting to $ 300 per month for enlisted soldiers ) .