Stryker Brigade News

Firing a Howitzer Gun

Gun crews prepare howitzers for live fire exercises at FOB Endurance. Scenes of soldiers unloading shells from truck, arming shells, sighting target, gun firing, smoke in the distance. Side views of gun firing a few more times. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Back to Tal Afar

Long lines of citizens of Tal Afar, Iraq are allowed to re-enter the city after fleeing fighting between insurgents and Multi-National Forces. Iraqi police and soldiers talk with people while American soldiers watch over situation. An emergency vehicle, sirens sounding, arrives. A couple is allowed to pass entry point. Closer shots of Iraqi police and cars. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Aloha Agriculture

University of Hawaii helps improve the agricultural program at Dahuk University. Scenes of planning meeting, many agricultural texts. Animal breeding project has bulls, goats, sheep fenced in. Group walks out into crop field to inspect plants. University partnership explained in interview with Dr. Abdul Jabbar Salman, Chief of Party, University of Hawaii. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Stryker Home Preparations (Everyone should enjoy this one.)

Stryker Brigade soldiers prepare for their redeployment to the United States. They fold up cots, wash tools and flooring with a pressure hose, carry items into large metal shipping containers. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Road Repair

American and Iraqis gather to open new road project. Soldiers with A Company, 133rd Engineers (from Maine) took on this last project in Diyanah, Iraq before heading back to Mosul. The town was in desperate need of a road repair. The soldiers placed three culverts underneath the road where there used to be a huge gap causing locals to travel around the city. After ribbon cutting, many views of the culverts. A car drives down the road. This project was a “wish” from the mayor of Diyanah that came true. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. See related interview, "Engineer Interviews" in the "Interviews" section.

Building a Brighter Future

Soldiers with A Co 133rd Engineers built another school in northern Iraq, benefiting families in the village of Bryate. Scenes outside of new school building. Inside, clothing donated from Maine families is laid out. Construction viewed inside school - rooms, doorways, windows. Donated shoes other clothing and toys unpacked. Ceiling fans and bathroom fixtures shown. Soldier holds Iraqi child, and a girl cuts the ribbon. Another child on a soldiers shoulder, plays with puppet. Many kids check out new school. They were presented dontated items later at the school grand opening.

Oil Refinery

Scenes of Qayarrah oil refinery and workers performing routine maintenance, filling up a tanker truck. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Police Motorcycles

Package on Task Force Olympia Soldiers donating 18 motorcycles to northern Iraqi Police Forces (10 to Mosel, 8 to Duhuk/Irbil). The motorcycles will allow policemen to better negotiate traffic, narrow streets and alleyways. Produced by Specialist Mary Flynn, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Village School Rebuilt

Soldiers [w/ the 133rd] who worked to rebuild a school (plumbing, heating, air conditioning) gather with Iraqis to cut the ribbon and reopen it. Several scenes of improvements made at the school, and of the children who will use the school.

Black Typhoon Descends

Highlights from Operation Black Typhoon, conducted in Tal Afar by Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Fort Lewis, Washington. Nightscope view of a vehicle firing at targets, an explosion. Soldier bandages the hand of an Iraqi woman - others talk with an Iraqi policeman. A Stryker vehicle rams the metal door of a warehouse, allowing Soldiers to enter. They search inside with flashlights mounted on their rifles. A lock is cut on a door and they kick it in to enter. Soldier walks from vehicle to room inside with rotary saw, which he uses to cut door and enter room. Another door hit with a small battering ram. The saw is used again to cut an outside door. Some profanity can be heard in this b-roll. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Olympia NEWSLINE 12

A newscast anchored in Mosul has stories on psychological operations efforts to keep the Iraqi public informed on important issues; a civil affairs unit providing generator power to a rural school; Iraqi public safety trainees getting hands-on experience with high-tech rescue devices; a pediatric hospital receives gifts for patients and textbooks for staff; nurse training at same hospital. Plus hometown greetings from Maine engineers. Olympia NEWSLINE is a 15-minute news program highlighting the efforts of Task Force Olympia forces. Produced by the 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Searching Houses

Running with the infantry soldiers patrolling the streets of Tal Afar in the early morning hours. They rush into houses, hoping to surprise suspected anti-Iraqi forces who may have come in from Syria. Some people taken outside for questioning; weapons are found. The goal of "Operation Sykes Nail" is to increase the level of security in the area. Last of a six-part video series from the 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Patrol Dog

Helicopters and a dog join infantry soldiers and Iraqi National Guard continuing partols in the area of Tal Afar. In "Operation Sykes Anvil", they search through piles of large bricks. Some weapons are found, and they explode ordnance. Video from 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Nabbing Bad Guys

Multinational Forces and Iraqi National Guard raid a house and search trucks and cars. They detain individuals who have tested positive for handling explosives and possessing some heavy firepower. Later, Iraqi children enjoy the company of one soldier. The joint patrol in Operation Sykes Hammer is in response to suspected anti-Iraqi forces that may have crossed the border from Syria and hide within the city of Tal Afar.

Door Pounding

A joint patrol is conducted in Operation Sykes Hammer to uncover suspected anti-Iraqi forces that may have crossed the border from Syria and hide within the city of Tal Afar. Multinational Forces and Iraqi National Guard search the challenging terrain of a sewer area with metal detectors and shovels, looking for weapons caches. Some weapons are found. They also break through doors, searching houses in a dangerous part of town.

Looking for a Rifle in a Haystack

Infantry soldiers search buildings, even haystacks, while patrolling the streets of Tal Afar alongside the Iraqi National Guard. This joint patrol is conducted in response to suspected anti-Iraqi forces that may have crossed the border from Syria and hide within the city. In what's called "Operation Sykes Nail", the soldiers find small arms weapons. Lots of b-roll of American soldiers in full battle gear, searching with metal detectors and kicking in metal doors.

Dawn Patrol

Infantry soldiers patrol streets of Tal Afar alongside the Iraqi National Guard to increase the level of security in the area. This joint patrol is conducted in response to suspected anti-Iraqi forces that may have crossed the border from Syria and hide within the city. In what's called "Operation Sykes Hammer", the soldiers move throughout the city area and search a few properties in the early morning hours. Lots of b-roll of American soldiers in full battle gear, interacting with local residents.

I'll try to post the backlog of soldier interviews tomorrow. This should keep you occupied for a while.

(via DVIDS)