Stryker Brigade News

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Qayarrah Comes Together for Area Security Council Meeting

FOB ENDURANCE, Iraq – The monthly Qayarrah Area Security Council meeting took place on July 17th on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Endurance. Topics covered during the meeting included the Qayarrah hospital, security and civil affairs projects.

Over 30 local leaders were in attendance, with additional military and police personnel.

A/2-8 Field Artillery (FA) Company Commander, Cpt. Cherokee Parks, opened the meeting discussing the many good things that have happened in the region during the past month. Successes included the local law enforcement making headway in the fight against terrorists, as well as several civil affairs projects in the works.

The first issues raised during the meeting concerned manning of the Qayarrah hospital. Police Chief Gen. Aziz explained the doctors and medical staff have been neglecting the hospital.

“A number of times, I’ve gone there and there is no one there and trash everywhere,” says Aziz.

Fuel stations are another issue among the locals. They’re requesting security forces to be present at fuel stations during operating hours. Many say the fuel stations are dishonest, conducting illegal acts such as selling fuel to friends, increasing prices and selling to terrorists.

The police present at the meeting raised the issue concerning the traffic control point (TCP) living conditions. They were built in the few months and are of poor quality, too small and are not predicted to last very long.

There are two TCPs in particular needing new buildings. The police force also requests concertina wire be placed around the buildings to improve security.

The remaining issues brought up during the monthly meeting involved civil affairs projects. Many of the local leaders were not there to discuss security, as has been the case in the past, but to ensure their consideration and status for project funding. There were many questions concerning money paid and money to be paid.

Parks and his battery continue to work with the IA, the local police stations and key leaders of Qayarrah to improve their safety, economy and living conditions.

Automatic 6 Meets with Local Shieks

FOB ENDURANCE, Iraq – On July 18th the 1/3rd Iraqi Army (IA) Battalion Commander Brig. Gen. Ali Atala Mallowh hosted a dinner at his battalion compound for Automatic 6, Lt. Col. Bradley Becker, to meet with and over 20 sheiks from the Tigris River Valley.

The sheiks talked mostly of civil affairs projects, jobs, security and the New Ba’ath Party.

“The meeting was very successful,” said Becker. “It promoted the unifying of local leaders. More will be accomplished if everyone works as one team.”

Iraqi Army BCT Graduates Over 60 Soldiers

FOB ENDURANCE, Iraq – On July 18th Task Force (TF) Automatic graduated the fourth Iraqi Army (IA) Basic Combat Training (BCT) class on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Endurance, enhancing leadership capabilities of the IA and preparing them to assume the counter-insurgency fight.

The ceremony opened with the US and Iraqi National Anthems and the invocation, delivered in Arabic by one of the graduates. The guest speaker, 1st Sgt. Stephen Winters, was then followed by the presentation of awards and certificates.

Since the beginning of 2005, TF Automatic has graduated four IA basic training classes and two NCOA classes at its IA training facility on FOB Endurance.

At BCT, soldiers are given the opportunity to learn general soldier duties such as map reading, guard duty, first aid and basic rifle marksmanship. They also learn leadership responsibilities such as Iraqi Army values, Law of War, equal opportunity, effective communi-cations, ethics and professional standards.

Over 60 privates and privates first class from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd IA Battalions completed the BCT on July 18th. The ten TF Automatic trainers will relish in their 1-day off before they begin preparing for their next non-commissioned officer course.

Awardees included distinguished honor graduate Rizgar Abdulghafoor Mohomed (3rd BN), 1st Platoon honor graduate Badraddin Kamal Hamad (3rd BN), 2nd Platoon honor graduate Badir Mohammed Hassan (1st BN), distinguished leadership award Fahad Khalil Salih (1st BN), physical fitness award Amer Rumdan Saleh (2nd BN), and distinguished marksman Mohammed Khalaf Aysa (2nd BN).

The FOB Endurance BCT academy is led by Commandant Command Sgt. Maj. Victor Martinez, his Deputy Commandant Master Sgt. Christopher House and his Chief Instructor Sgt. First Class Thomas Trott.

“I couldn’t help but see the pride in each of these graduates’ eyes as I shook their hands,” said Martinez. “Today we do not only recognize you because of your accomplishments, but also for the positive impact you will have on your family and children.”

3/3rd IA Detains Three Suspected Terrorists

DUYAYZAH, Iraq – Lt. Col. Hogart Salahaddin Abdul led his 3/3rd Iraqi Army (IA) Battalion in a unilateral operation in Duyayzah As Sufla on July 14th, detaining three suspected terrorists.

Two individuals were believed to be associated with high value individual Abu Muthama. The third individual detained is a suspected member of the New Baath party.

Earlier this week, Task Force (TF) Automatic and 3rd IA Brigade began planning a large operation in order to capture these three individuals. After discussing the plan with Hogart, Hogar felt he had the ability to conduct the operation and capture the individuals on his own, without the assistance from Coalition forces. This being a much quicker and simpler plan, Lt. Col. Bradley Becker, TF Commander, agreed to adjust the original plan accordingly.

The three individuals were detained by sheiks from Duyayzah As Sufla and handed over to Hogart. Hogart then transported them to Forward Operating Base Endurance and handed them over to TF Automatic. They are currently being held in the TF’s detention facility for further questioning.

Hogart’s method of operation demonstrated the value of local shieks and mukhtars. Local leaders encourage men of their villages to turn themselves in to Iraqi security forces. If the individuals are proven innocent, they are returned to their respective local leaders, therefore boosting their standing in the community. This technique also increases the trust between local leaders and the Iraqi Army leaders.

Successful Mission Conducted by Iraqi Army

TAL ASHIR, Iraq – On July 10th Task Force (TF) Automatic received a priority mission from 1/25th Brigade. A source from 1-24 Infantry (IN) would positively identify a house in Tal Ashir to retrieve sensitive intelligence. The source arrived at TF Automatic the afternoon of July 11th. He accompanied the TF and identified the house, resulting in retrieval of important items and three suspected terrorists being detained.

A/2-8 Field Artillery (FA) searched five other houses around the target house, while the TF Automatic TAC attempted to find suspected terrorists on the blacklist.

The northern outer cordon element, consisting of a platoon of 1/3rd Iraqi Army, left Forward Operating Base (FOB) Endurance at 1300 hrs. They drove to Tal Ashir compound, north of the objective, in order to stage while they awaited the southern cordon’s arrival. The southern cordon element, led by Maj. Saddam, left FOB Endurance at 1630 hours.

The search element consisted of the TAC, A/2-8 FA and 1/3rd IA. The element followed 30 minutes behind the cordon element, ensuring they would not alert traffic control points along alternate supply route Charleston of anything other than normal activity.

The outer cordon was established by 1730 hours. The search element arrived on the primary objective and the TAC engaged the muhktar, who assisted in locating and identifying two suspected terrorists.

A/2-8 FA retrieved the intelligence and detained one suspected terrorist from the objective.

The cordon and search was complete by 1920 hours and all elements returned to FOB Endurance without incident. The source was flown back to 1-24 IN.

Successful crisis action planning and execution of this mission demonstrated excellent teamwork between two separate Coalition forces battalions and the Iraqi Army.

TF Automatic Captures High Value Target

JURN, Iraq – On July 6th 2/C/2-8 Field Artillery conducted a successful cordon and search against Abu Yaman, an IED expert and assassin active in Mosul.

Abu Yaman, IED expert and active assassin.

The platoon, supported by F-16s and AH64Ds, conducted the search between the villages of Jurn and Amrini. Led by First Lt. James Upson and Staff Sergeant James Harpell they detained both Abu Yaman and his host, Kineaim, without any incidents.

Abu Yaman hid under a hay stack to avoid capture. The search element, however, conducted a thorough investigation leading to the capture of Yaman and his companion.

Doctor Mohammad Brings in Hachow

AITHA, Iraq – July 9th marked the end of a 2 ½ month search for suspected terrorist Hachow from Aitha. With the help of Brig. Gen. Ali Atala Mallowh, local leader and close friend Doctor Mohammad is credited with bringing Hachow into Task Force (TF) Automatic’s custody.

On April 23rd TF Automatic was attacked with RPG and small arms fire between Jamissa and Aitha. There were at least three terrorists involved in the attack. One was captured, one was killed and one got away. The terrorist who got away was reported to be Hachow.

Mohammad and Hachow have had a friendly past. At TF Automatic’s request, Mohammad invited Hachow to his home. Ali was also there and asked Hachow to come with him to TF Automatic’s headquarters on FOB Endurance. Upon arrival and after initial questioning, TF Automatic detained him.

Local leaders have become more and more supportive in the Tigris River Valley. The assistance TF Automatic receives from people like Doctor Mohammad greatly improves their ability to locate suspected terrorists, making the area a safer place day by day.