Government reinstates food distribution program in Baqouba
Multinational Division North-PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi government officials moved more than 60 truckloads of government food supplies from Baghdad to Baqouba June 29, while troops continued to clear the city of al-Qaida operatives during Operation Arrowhead Ripper.
The government food supplies, in addition to the humanitarian relief efforts provided by Baqouba based Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces, marked the beginning of a sustained food distribution program that should help alleviate future food shortages for Baqouba residents.
This delivery of food supplies reinstates a food rationing program by the Iraqi government, which was interrupted nearly 10 months ago by al-Qaida terrorists. The food distribution plan is being finalized by Diyala provincial officials.
David Hardt Column
Blog-Ah! has published its latest column from David Hardt, a soldier serving with the 3/2 SBCT in Iraq.
Video: Informants Help Troops In Iraq
CBS News has a video segment from Lara Logan featuring Stryker soldiers operating in Baqouba. Description:
Some Iraqis are tired of Al Qaeda's violent control and are coming forward at great personal risk to cooperate with U.S. troops. Lara Logan reports.
Baqouba operation moves to next phase
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
BAQOUBA, Iraq - The cannister hit the ground and popped, spewing out a huge cloud of white smoke as U.S. and Iraqi troops sprinted from behind a mud-brick house to a mosque compound across the road.
Once inside, the troops began searching for anything that might link the mosque to al-Qaida fighters or other insurgent groups.
Intelligence reports had earlier indicated that the mosque was serving as a haven for enemy fighters. U.S. forces had already hit the compound with a precision-guided bomb when they launched a massive operation to clear Baqouba of insurgents 10 days earlier. The raid was meant to find any evidence that the intelligence had been correct.
SGT Joel A. Dahl
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Joel A. Dahl, 21, of Los Lunas, N.M., died June 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time. Please check this entry for any related articles we find.
Update: To make matters worse, the car belonging to Dahl's pregnant widow, Alia, was just stolen. In the car were personal mementos from Joel, as well as baby supplies. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's office is accepting donations to buy her a new car. You can donate by calling (505) 768-4100.
Update 6/29: Apparently the car as been recovered, but the contents are still missing. A local dealership has offered her a new car, and the sheriff's office has raised $15,000 so far. Finally, Alia gave birth to their child last night (Kaiden).
OP Arrowhead Ripper Update
Multinational Division North-PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces and Task Force Lightning Soldiers continued clearing and securing Baqouba, while providing humanitarian aid to citizens there June 27 as Operation Arrowhead Ripper entered its ninth day.
Since the beginning of the operation, ISF and Coalition Forces have provided approximately 265,000 pounds of rice and flour to residents of Baqouba and handed out over 10,000 vegetarian humanitarian rations, and thousands of bottles of water.
Since the beginning of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, at least 60 al-Qaida operatives have been killed, 74 have been detained, 31 weapons caches have been discovered, 81 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and 18 booby-trapped structures have been destroyed.
Iraq strategy geared to U.S. pullout
The following article offers a broad perspective on the recent offensives involving the two Stryker Brigades currently deployed.
BAGHDAD — U.S. commanders plan a summer of stepped-up offensives against Al Qaeda in Iraq as they tailor strategy to their expectation that Congress soon will impose a timeline for drawing down U.S. forces here.
The emphasis on Al Qaeda, described by commanders in interviews here this week, marks a shift in focus from Shiite Muslim militias and death squads in Baghdad. It reflects the belief of some senior officers in Iraq that the militias probably will reduce attacks once it becomes clear that a U.S. pullout is on the horizon. By contrast, they believe Al Qaeda in Iraq could be emboldened by a withdrawal plan and must be confronted before one is in place.
US foot patrols seeks to sidestep mines
By LAUREN FRAYER, The Associated Press
BAQOUBA, Iraq -- U.S. armored vehicles stand idle on the edge of western Baqouba's apartment blocks. The soldiers who normally ride in them have left on foot patrols - a simple, but apparently effective, tactic being used against insurgents planting increasingly large and devastating bombs deep underground.
Bringing troops onto the streets in bloody places such as Baqouba carries some new risks, including small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades that armored vehicles can usually repel. But it's designed to avoid a more serious threat: the buried explosives that can take out Humvees and the bigger Strykers that can hold up to 10 soldiers.
Getting up-close look, treatment in Baqouba
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
BAQOUBA, Iraq — The day after U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a massive offensive last week to clear Baqouba of al-Qaida and other insurgents, a sergeant major from Multi-National Corps—Iraq showed up in a sector of the city controlled by Company C, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
The sergeant major told the troops that he had come out to get a firsthand look at the fighting and to see how things were progressing for U.S. forces.
“Just act like I’m not here,” the sergeant major told the troops. “Treat me like you would any other rifleman.”
Ft. Lewis Memorial Survey
Blog-Ah! alerts us to an online survey you can take regarding Ft. Lewis' decision whether or not to hold group memorials. Let the post know how you feel.
In Baqouba, help amid the chaos
(via FOB Tacoma)
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
BAQOUBA, Iraq — Bombs were going off on one side of the street, while U.S. and Iraqi troops were distributing emergency supplies of food and water on the other.
It was the sixth day of a massive U.S. and Iraqi offensive to clear Baqouba of al-Qaida fighters and other insurgents.
As troops with the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team continued to press the fight in the section of town known as New Baqouba, other soldiers with the 296th Brigade Support Battalion and Iraqi troops handed out bags of rice, flour and crates of water to residents of Old Baqouba who had been caught up in the fighting.
Troops Take Embattled Baqubah Bit by Bit
(via FOB Tacoma)
By Joshua Partlow, Washington Post
BAQUBAH, Iraq, June 25 -- U.S. and Iraqi troops have "seized control" of the western side of the embattled city of Baqubah, but 100 or more insurgents remain in the city and at least that many likely escaped, the American brigade commander here said Monday. "We're on our way to securing the population of Baqubah, which is what we came here to do," said U.S. Army Col. Steve Townsend, the commander of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
At the same time, Townsend warned of coming attacks as the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq assesses the vulnerabilities of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, one of several operations U.S. commanders have launched in areas ringing Baghdad.
Militants' Baqubah fiefdom is liberated
(via FOB Tacoma)
BAQUBAH, IRAQ — For more than a year, hundreds of masked gunmen loyal to Al Qaeda cruised this capital of their self-declared state, hauling Shiite Muslims from their homes and leaving bodies in the dusty, trash-strewn streets.
They set up a religious court and prisons, aid stations and food stores. And they imposed their fundamentalist interpretation of Islam on a population that was mostly too poor to flee and too terrified to resist.
Three memorials in one day
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis held two more memorial ceremonies Tuesday to pay tribute to its soldiers killed in Iraq, and another to remember a soldier who left the post last year to volunteer for duty in Afghanistan.
For the moment, Fort Lewis has completed all the memorial ceremonies for the post’s soldiers whose deaths have been announced by the Department of Defense.
Plan to Capture and Kill Insurgents Fell Short of Goal, Officer Says
By MICHAEL R. GORDON, The New York Times
BAQUBA, Iraq, June 25 — One week after American forces mounted their assault on insurgent strongholds in western Baquba, at least half of the estimated 300 to 500 fighters who were there have escaped or are still at large, the colonel who is leading the attack said Monday.
Col. Steve Townsend told a group of journalists that his soldiers had wrested control over most of the area from Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, deprived the insurgent group of its nominal capital and made headway in protecting the residents from reprisals by militants.
For G.I.’s in Iraq, a Harrowing Day Facing a Trap
Gordon is still embedded with 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT.
By MICHAEL R. GORDON, The New York Times
BAQUBA, Iraq, June 25 — The enemy was a phantom who never showed his face but transformed a neighborhood into a network of houses rigged to explode.
And the soldiers from Comanche Company’s First Platoon confronted this elaborate and deadly trap.
The platoon’s push began shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday, as American forces continued their effort to wrest the western section of this city north of Baghdad from Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. Tracer rounds zipped through the air as the soldiers fired antitank weapons, mortar shells and machine guns at the abandoned houses they planned to inspect across the street.
First Female Squad Designated Marksman
By CPT Cory Angell, Pennsylvania National Guard
6/25/07, PA—As the hot summer sun beats down on an open range at Fort Indiantown Gap, SPC Krystal Ginter squeezes the trigger and puts her mark in the history books.
SPC Ginter of Lancaster PA, became the first female in the U.S. Army to graduate the Squad Designated Marksman Course. She graduated June 16 along with 18 others at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA.
Local Guard unit practices for combat at the Gap
By P.J. REILLY, Staff, Intelligencer Journal
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - A dust cloud swirled as the supply convoy made its way down an isolated road Thursday.
When a Humvee carrying four soldiers from the Lancaster-based Headquarters Company of the Pennsylvania National Guard's 328th Brigade Support Battalion passed by a seemingly harmless mound of leaves, an explosion erupted from the earth.
White smoke billowed across the road, and the convoy screeched to a halt.
ISF, CF continue humanitarian aid to citizens in Baqouba
Multinational Division North-PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces and Task Force Lightning Soldiers continued delivering food and water to the people of Baqouba Monday as major operations to remove al-Qaida from the city entered their seventh day.
Since the beginning of the humanitarian effort, ISF and Coalition Forces have distributed more than 56,000 pounds of rice and more than 58,000 pounds of flour throughout the city and its surrounding area. They have also distributed thousands of bottles of fresh water along with the food.
“Now that we have begun to clear al-Qaida out of Baqouba, we can begin to place more effort into helping the people of the city,” said Col. Steve Townsend, commander, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. “The government is working to distribute these supplies as fast as they can, and the improved security in the area will help to make that possible.”
In Baqouba, help amid the chaos
BAQOUBA, Iraq — Bombs were going off on one side of the street, while U.S. and Iraqi troops were distributing emergency supplies of food and water on the other.
It was the sixth day of a massive U.S. and Iraqi offensive to clear Baqouba of al-Qaida fighters and other insurgents.
As troops with the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team continued to press the fight in the section of town known as New Baqouba, other soldiers with the 296th Brigade Support Battalion and Iraqi troops handed out bags of rice, flour and crates of water to residents of Old Baqouba who had been caught up in the fighting.
Drilling for Justice
Drilling for Justice is Michael Yon's latest embedded dispatch from Operation Arrowhead Ripper. Excerpt:
Although the battle is still unfolding here in Baqubah, Colonel Townsend reports that at least 50 AQI have been killed. Townsend’s subordinate commanders put the number as high as 100. More than 60 suspects are in custody, but Townsend is unsure how many of the suspects are truly AQI versus innocent men who will be released.American losses include one soldier killed in action, with 21 wounded. One Bradley and one Stryker have been destroyed. The low numbers of friendly casualties have been largely due to the slow, methodical clearing operation where success is not measured against the clock. In meeting after meeting, I have seen Townsend stress to his subordinate commanders the importance of moving deliberately and at their own pace. Given the massive amounts of IEDs that have been found, my guess is that we might have taken dozens more killed by now if the clearing operation had been rushed. Doubtless many American lives have been saved by locals just saying “stop,” and pointing to bombs.
ISF and CF deliver food and water to people in Baqouba
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Operation Arrowhead Ripper entered its fifth day Saturday, with Iraqi Security Forces and Task Force Lightning continuing to conduct combined operations in and around Baqouba, Iraq, to rid the city of al-Qaida.
In addition to combat operations, Iraqi Security Forces and the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, delivered three truckloads of rice, flour and school supplies to Baqouba residents Saturday.
Troops continue successful clearing operations in Baghdad’s Rashid District
4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers defeated multiple insurgent attacks and discovered several caches during clearing operations in the eastern and western portions of the Rashid District of the Iraqi capital June 23 and 24.
Stryker troops from the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment “Tomahawks,” attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division were attacked several times by insurgents with small arms fire on both June 23 and 24. The Soldiers returned fire in the engagements, killing six insurgents. Five more were seized and taken into custody.
ISF, CF discover execution house, illegal prison in Baqouba
Multinational Division North-PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces and Task Force Lightning Soldiers discovered an execution house and an illegal prison in the Baqouba neighborhood of Khatoon Sunday during the sixth day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.
The two buildings were in the same area as a torture chamber and illegal courthouse linked to al-Qaida, which were found on the fourth and fifth day of the operation.
Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment discovered the execution house using information from local citizens, who said it had been used by al-Qaida. Soldiers searching the house found five bodies buried in the yard behind the building and bloody clothes in several rooms inside it.
Generals doubt Iraqis can hold Diyala gains
By Lauren Frayer - The Associated Press
BAQUBAH, Iraq — The U.S. commander of a new offensive north of Baghdad, reclaiming insurgent territory day by day, said Sunday his Iraqi partners may be too weak to hold onto the gains.
The Iraqi military does not even have enough ammunition, said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek: “They’re not quite up to the job yet.”
His counterpart south of Baghdad seemed to agree, saying U.S. troops are too few to garrison the districts newly rid of insurgents. “It can’t be coalition [U.S.] forces. We have what we have. There’s got to be more Iraqi security forces,” said Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch.
First phase of major Iraq campaign almost over -US
BAQUBA, Iraq, June 24 (Reuters) - U.S. forces believe the initial combat phase of a major offensive to clear al Qaeda from the Iraqi city of Baquba is nearly complete and any militants left could be confronted in the next 24 hours.
The operation in and around Baquba, capital of volatile Diyala province, is a major part of one of the biggest combined offensives by U.S. and Iraqi forces against the Sunni Islamist group in Iraq since the invasion of the country in 2003.
"We will either make enemy contact quickly, or we won't," Colonel Steve Townsend, commander of the 3rd Stryker Brigade, told Reuters and another news agency late on Saturday.
Troops in Iraq give thumbs-up to Land Warrior
Sgt. Daniel Garza never trusted his Land Warrior system during training at Fort Lewis, Wash. But after relying on the digitized ensemble in Iraq, the recon platoon leader now says he wouldn’t go outside the wire with out it.
At Lewis, “I wasn’t a big fan of it, but after using it in combat here I’m all about it now,” Garza said in a telephone interview from Taji, Iraq. “Now when I leave to go on a mission, I wouldn’t leave with out it.”
Garza and more than 200 other Stryker soldiers with 2nd Infantry Division’s 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, have been putting Land Warrior through its first combat test since the unit entered Iraq in mid-May.
Battle for Baqouba a tough one
LAUREN FRAYER; The Associated Press
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops, under cover of F-16s, fought their way into three neighborhoods of besieged Baqouba on Friday to help clear Diyala province of entrenched insurgents.
To the north of the city, American helicopters killed 17 al-Qaida gunmen trying to sneak past a checkpoint.
As the mission of 10,000 U.S. soldiers to take back the volatile and extremely dangerous province intensified in its fourth day, so have concerns about keeping al-Qaida fighters on the run. The terrorist fighters and their allies already have been run out of Fallujah and Ramadi in Anbar province, only to regroup in Diyala’s capital of Baqouba and surrounding districts.
U.S. forces tighten grip on Iraq city
BAQUBA, Iraq, June 23 (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers tightened their cordon around al Qaeda fighters holed up in the Iraqi city of Baquba on Saturday, advancing carefully through streets lined with roadside bombs and booby-trapped houses.
"We are enveloping the enemy into a kill sack," said Command Sergeant Major Jeff Huggins from the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade.
Around 10,000 American and Iraqi soldiers are into the fifth day of a big push against al Qaeda militants in Diyala province just north of Baghdad. U.S. troops have killed dozens of suspected al Qaeda fighters. One U.S. soldier has been killed.
DoD Special Briefing with Lt. Gen. Odierno
Lt. Gen. Odierno briefed Pentagon reporters from Iraq today (full transcript). He briefly metioned the 3/2 & 4/2 SBCTs. Excerpt:
[...] In Multinational Division-North, we have three brigade combat teams conducting operations in the belts north and east of Baghdad, and three more brigade combat teams elsewhere in their area of operations. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Stryker began Operation Arrowhead Ripper four days ago in Baqubah, the capital of Diyala province, to defeat enemy in the city and secure the population conducting detailed and deliberate clearing operations. What we have found so far is a determined and entrenched enemy who's trying to stand and fight, and we have continued to use many joint fires, both close air support, artillery, and helicopter air weapons teams with success.Also noted that some of the senior AQ leadership in Baqubah abandoned their troops as they have in the past and left them to fend for themselves out of fear for their own safety. We've seen this many times before, specifically in Fallujah in 2004. This is a joint operation run out of the Diyala Operations Center with Iraqi security force involvement.
4th Brigade, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team is focused between Baghdad and Baqubah in the Tarmiya and Khambanisad (ph) area. In this area, AQI operates and Shi'a extremists seek to also gain control. Also, where we recently freed -- this is also an area where we recently freed several hostages from al Qaeda in Iraq training camp, and just yesterday, we killed 17 al Qaeda insurgents in southern Khalis.
[...]
‘Arrowhead Ripper’ continues to pressure al-Qaida
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces teamed with Task Force Lightning units, Thursday, to clear Baqouba and surrounding areas as Operation Arrowhead Ripper continued.
“We are shoulder-to-shoulder with Iraqi Security Forces in this fight,” said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy commanding general, operations, and commander of Operation Arrowhead Ripper. “Specifically the 5th Iraqi Army Division led by Maj. Gen. Saleem Kariem Ali Alotbei, along with the provincial director of police, Maj. Gen. Ganim, have provided the Iraqi security forces to the fight.
The weeks ahead are absolutely key in not only holding and retaining the ground that is cleared in partnership with Coalition Forces, but also in building trust and confidence with the citizens of Diyala.”
David Hardt Column
Blog-Ah! has published its latest column from David Hardt, a soldier serving with the 3/2 SBCT in Iraq.
U.S. Scours Iraq's Baqouba for Militants
By LAUREN FRAYER, The Associated Press
BAQOUBA, Iraq -- U.S. troops are searching houses and vehicles to root out hundreds of al-Qaida militants believed holed up in western Baqouba, which has become the center of a massive military offensive, a commander said Friday.
But more than three-quarters of the senior militant commanders escaped the city. Those who remain, one U.S. officer said, are a "hardline group of fighters who have no intention of leaving."
In Sweep of Iraqi Town, Sectarian Fears Percolate
Gordon is embedded with the 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT.
By MICHAEL R. GORDON, The New York Times
BAQUBA, Iraq, June 21 — After two days of clawing their way toward insurgent strongholds in western Baquba, American troops on Thursday began one of the most delicate phases of the operation: reintroducing the city’s residents to their own army.
For the first time since the assault began, Iraqi soldiers joined the operation in significant numbers. What made the task especially complex was that many of the Sunni residents had little trust for the Shiite-dominated army, a message that became clear during Company A’s sweep through the northwestern part of the city.
Arrowhead Ripper: Surrender or Die
Read Michael Yon's latest embedded dispatch with the 3/2 SBCT in Baqubah. Excerpt:
I am with 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team. I’ve run a few missions with them in Baghdad, and they have fought all over Iraq. This Brigade has much recent combat experience, and is expertly commanded. A person does not need to even meet the commanders (though I do each day) to know they are running a tight ship. The professionalism of 3-2 is particularly high, and they are very competent fighters who are maximizing their assets, including the incredible Stryker vehicles.
U.S. soldiers conduct sweep in Baqouba
Here's another report from embedded reporter Drew Brown.
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
BAQOUBA, Iraq — The Iraqi teenager hesitated for a moment when he encountered the squad of soldiers standing at the top of a dusty, rutted dirt street that he had started to walk down.
He gestured at a house, as if to say, “I’m only going over there.”
“If you want to go, dude, that’s your choice,” said Staff Sgt. Brian Piehler, 25, of Spanaway, Wash., a squad leader of Company C, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, motioning him forward. “But you may not like what’s coming in a few minutes.”
Odierno: 80% of al-Qaida leaders fled Baqubah
By Lauren Frayer - The Associated Press
BAQUBAH, Iraq — More than three-quarters of the senior al-Qaida leaders holed up in Baqubah escaped as American soldiers launched an offensive earlier this week, the U.S. ground forces commander said on Thursday.
During a one day trip to the battlefield where about 10,000 U.S. troops are fighting to oust suspected al-Qaida militants, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said: “We believe 80 percent of the upper level [al-Qaida] leaders fled, but we’ll find them.”
Diyala Updates
Both Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune ("More Arrowhead Ripper") and Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail ("Operation Phantom Thunder") have operational summaries that include links to news articles I hadn't seen before.
Photos: Arrowhead Ripper
DVIDS has a couple photo albums featuring troops from the 3/2 & 4/2 SBCTs.
- Arrowhead Ripper (12 images) - B Co, 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT
- Operation Arrowhead Ripper (8 images) - Soldiers attached to 3/2 SBCT
The Battle of Iraq
The Fourth Rail has an excellent summary of the current offensive in Iraq. Arrowhead Ripper is one of many simultaneous operations occurring across the country. Excerpt:
Four days after the announcement of major offensive combat operations against al Qaeda in Iraq and its allies, the picture becomes clearer on the size and scope of the operation. In today's press briefing, Rear Admiral Mark noted that the ongoing operation is a corps directed and coordinated offensive operation. This is the largest offensive operation since the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom ended in the spring of 2003.
Strykers lead massive push in Iraq
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
BAQOUBA, Iraq — Under a starlit sky, soldiers poured out of Stryker armored vehicles and crept silently along a weed-choked canal. Attack helicopters circled overhead as tanks stood by.
At the first house, the troops startled a barefooted man in a traditional white robe out of his sleep. The man warned them the road ahead was riddled with bombs. At the next house, gunshots smacked against a wall the soldiers were using to take cover.
The troops were part of a massive push to clear an insurgent outpost in the heart of this city of 300,000, roughly 35 miles north of Baghdad. The 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, based at Fort Lewis, has taken the lead role in a major new offensive in Diyala province.
Stryker units combine muscle Fort Lewis brigades press offensive
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a major offensive that entered its third day today, has its place in the strategic big picture in Iraq.
It also has allowed Stryker commanders to bring relief to their Fort Lewis comrades who have been slugging it out with insurgents in Baqouba for the better part of three months.
The operation, led by the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, thus far has encountered lighter resistance than planners anticipated, according to reports.
Through Wednesday, the brigade had suffered 12 wounded, eight of whom were returned to duty. The other four were evacuated to the combat support hospital in Balad, a brigade spokesman said.
Michael Yon Dispatch
Yon, embedded with the 3/2 SBCT, filed a brief dispatch on his website today regarding the first day of Arrowhead Ripper.
Ft. Lewis Involvement
On his blog, News Tribune reporter Mike Gilbert has an excellent overview of the disposition of the 3/2 SBCT in Iraq. He spoke with brigade commanders who shared which elements of the unit are involved with Operation Arrowhead Ripper in Diyala.
Task Force Lightning continues Arrowhead Ripper in Baqouba
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Task Force Lightning continued offensive operations in and around the capital of Diyala province Wednesday, maintaining the pressure on al-Qaida operatives in the area.
Since Operation Arrowhead Ripper began early Tuesday morning, at least 41 insurgents have been killed, five weapons caches have been discovered, 25 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and five booby-trapped houses have been discovered and destroyed.
U.S. troops take the offensive in Baqouba
Stars & Stripes reporter Drew Brown is embedded with C Co., 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT in Diyala.
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
BAQOUBA, Iraq — American ground forces, backed by Apache helicopter gunships and fighter jets, launched a large-scale offensive Tuesday to clear al-Qaida and other insurgent groups from the capital of Iraq’s volatile Diyala province.
The offensive began before dawn, with ground elements of 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment and 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment moving in a pincer movement on the western half of the city. Other elements, including the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Task Force (1-12th Combined Arms Battalion), moved to secure the other half of the city, east of the Diyala River.
Mother of Fort Lewis soldier worries from afar
By Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times
In less worrisome times, Sheryl Thomas might have spent part of the last few summer days on the front-porch swing admiring her roses and oak-shaded lawn.
Instead, Thomas has been cloistered in her house in Moberly, Mo., glued to her television and computer in a round-the-clock quest for news of her son's Fort Lewis brigade in Iraq.
Operation ‘Arrowhead Ripper’ continues in Baqouba
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Task Force Lightning continued its offensive operation in and around the capital of Diyala province, Iraq, today as part of a powerful crack down on al-Qaida terrorists operating in the area.
U.S. and Iraqi combined forces engaged and killed at least 30 al-Qaida operatives, and discovered four IEDs emplaced in houses, and 10 buried IEDs during the first full day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.
U.S. shifts offensive to north Iraq
By Alexandra Zavis and Julian E. Barnes, LA Times
BAQUBAH, IRAQ — Troops in armored vehicles swept through this city north of Baghdad on Tuesday as the U.S. military launched a major offensive as part of a significant shift of focus from inside the capital to surrounding areas.
American commanders say the offensive, which involves about 10,000 U.S. troops in Baqubah and other parts of Diyala province, is designed to stop the flow of bombs into Baghdad. The need to do so was illustrated once again Tuesday when a massive truck bomb struck one of the capital's most revered Shiite Muslim mosques. The explosion killed at least 60 people and wounded scores more, the Interior Ministry said.
Fort Lewis units in the thick of big offensive
News Tribune News Services and Staff
BAQOUBA, IRAQ – In the first full day of a major offensive Tuesday in Iraq, thousands of Fort Lewis Stryker troops led the effort to capture or kill an estimated 300 to 500 enemy fighters holed up in the western part of Baqouba.
The plan is to contain and destroy the insurgents in the capital of Diyala province instead of dislodging them and letting them build up strength elsewhere.
“Rather than let the problem export to some other place and then have to fight them again, my goal is to isolate this thing and cordon it off,” said Col. Steve Town-send, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division – one of two Stryker brigades from Fort Lewis now in Iraq.
U.S. Seeks to Block Exits for the Insurgents in Iraq
By MICHAEL R. GORDON, The New York Times
BAQUBA, Iraq, June 19 — In more than four years in Iraq, American forces have been confounded by insurgents who have often slipped away only to fight another day. The war in Iraq has been likened to the arcade game of whack-a-mole, where as soon as you knock down one mole another pops up.
Taking the fight to insurgents from Al Qaeda did not so much destroy them in Anbar Province as dislodge them, prompting the fighters to build up their strength elsewhere, including Baquba, the capital of Diyala Province.
Major Offensive Begins
News reports indicate, and military press releases confirm, that the 3/2 SBCT is leading a major offensive against insurgents in the Diyala province. Elements of the 4/2 SBCT are involved as well. Independent journalist Michael Yon is embedded with the 3/2 SBCT, and his first dispatch with them is included below.
- Task Force Lightning strikes al-Qaeda - MNF-Iraq Press Release
- Be Not Afraid - Michael Yon cryptically outlines the current offensive.
- The Battle of Baqubah II - The Fourth Rail
- Major Assault Pressed Against Insurgents Near Baghdad - The New York Times
- US says 10,000 troops in major Iraq offensive - Reuters
- U.S. Army Begins Offensive Against Al-Qaeda in Iraq - Bloomberg News
- 10,000 U.S. troops begin raids - The Associated Press
SPC Zachary A. Grass
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Zachary A. Grass, 22, of Beach City, Ohio., died June 16 in Rashidiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the vehicle he was in struck an improvised explosive device. Grass was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Ft. Lewis, Wash.
All of us here at Strykernews would like to offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends and fellow soldiers.
SGT Danny R. Soto
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Danny R. Soto, 24, of Houston, Texas, died June 16 in Rashidiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the vehicle he was in struck an improvised explosive device. Soto was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Ft. Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones he leaves behind.
Fort Lewis soldier stabbed to death
In the wake of recent casualties in Iraq comes word that a 5/2 SBCT soldier was stabbed to death on Post last Friday. The Army identified him today as Pvt. Timothy W. Crislip.
FORT LEWIS, Wash. - Army officials identified a Stryker brigade soldier stabbed to death last week as Pvt. Timothy W. Crislip of Elmhurst, Ill., whose mother described him Monday as "an awesome young man."
Crislip died at Madigan Army Medical Center on Friday after being "stabbed by another soldier," Fort Lewis said in a news release. The other soldier was taken into custody but was not identified Monday.
Military police and the Army's criminal investigation division were reviewing the case. Additional details, including a motive, were not immediately available.
Dragon Soldiers find caches, defeat attackers
4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers confiscated several weapons caches and defeated insurgent attacks in southern Baghdad June 15 and 16.
Troops from the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment “Tomahawks,” attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, operating in East Rashid, seized several caches containing two PKC machineguns, one RPK light machinegun, 11 AK-47s, four RPG launchers, one SVD sniper rifle, 1,500 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and other bomb-making materials. The Soldiers are continuing clearing operations in Dora that began in late May.
In West Rashid, several complex attacks on MND-B forces by extremists were defeated.
Troops from the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment “Vanguards” killed five insurgents after being engaged with small arms and RPG fire in two separate attacks June 14 and 15.
“We will continue our efforts on behalf of the Iraqi people here,” said Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th “Dragon” Brigade Combat Team commander. “Our Soldiers will not be deterred in their mission to provide security and stability to the district.”
Fort Lewis mourns nine fallen men
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
When they started planning it early this month, soldiers with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division didn’t intend that Thursday’s memorial to their comrades recently killed in Iraq would be Fort Lewis’ largest such ceremony of the war.
But with each grim new report of another loss, it became that.
Sgt. Chadrick O. Domino was shot in Baghdad May 31. Cpl. Romel Catalan died in a bombing two days later.
Clarification On Comment Authentication
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Please let me know if you have any questions.
Todd, Site Admin
todd (at) strykernews (dot) com
Overhauls equip Stryker vehicles for next mission
By Margaret Friedenauer, Staff Writer
Nearly 300 Stryker vehicles from Fort Wainwright spent 16 months in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
It only took four months to make those same Strykers ready for combat again, this time for the post’s 1st Stryker Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.
In an informal ceremony Wednesday, brigade commander Col. Burt Thompson praised the civilian employees and soldiers involved in the expedited reset of the equipment. Four of them received Army commendation medals.
Thompson, against the backdrop of a freshly painted and newly equipped and overhauled Stryker vehicle, thanked the contractors who had created a “Santa’s workshop” in refurbishing the vehicles. The large garage where the work occurred was quiet and nearly empty Wednesday, with only leftover gallons of GoJo orange pumice hand cleaner lining the sinks leaving any sign that the garage had been bustling for the last four months.[...]
Memorials will continue at fort for now
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis’ new commanding general won’t change the way the post holds memorial ceremonies for its soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, at least for the time being.
The post announced Wednesday that Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., “has decided that Fort Lewis will continue with its current manner of honoring its fallen warriors … until he has had a chance to fully assess the issue.”
The announcement at least temporarily reverses a controversial plan to combine memorials for all the post’s fallen soldiers into one monthly ceremony.
With more soldiers deployed now than at any time since the beginning of the war in Iraq, Fort Lewis has lost its largest numbers of soldiers in the past two months.
No easy job ahead for new chief
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. arrived Monday to take charge of Fort Lewis as it endures its most difficult months yet in the war in Iraq.
The 52-year-old Detroit native pledged at his assumption of command ceremony to support the families of deployed soldiers and the rear detachments of deployed units “as they truly shoulder the load during this tough fight.”
SSG Brian M. Long
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Brian M. Long, 32, of Burns, Wyo., died June 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an explosive ordnance.He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time.
PVT Scott A. Miller
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pvt. Scott A. Miller, 20, of Casper, Wyo., died June 9 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire.He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
During this difficult time, we hope his loved ones can draw strength and comfort from those of us who hold you in our thoughts.
SGT Cory M. Endlich
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Cory M. Endlich, 23, of Massillon, Ohio, died June 9 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire.He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones he leaves behind.
Stryker soldiers learn Iraq ropes in ‘The Box’
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
HOHENFELS, Germany — More than 3,500 soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment are scouring the training area here for “insurgents” and doing bilateral meetings with Arabic-speaking role-players as part of an exercise that will prepare them for a 15-month mission to Iraq.
Joint Multinational Training Command spokesman Maj. Eric Bloom said the soldiers, who leave Vilseck for Iraq in August, will be in training area, called, “The Box,” this week and next along with 500 Arabic-speaking civilian role-players as well as soldiers from the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany.
Hohenfels-based Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment and members of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police are also participating.
2nd Cav bound for Iraq, exact spot uncertain
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
HOHENFELS, Germany — When it deploys to Iraq in August, the 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment will replace 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, which recently moved from Mosul to Baghdad.
The 3rd “Arrowhead” Brigade is working in Baghdad alongside Iraqi forces and extra U.S. troops brought in as part of the “surge” to try to calm sectarian violence.
Lt. Col. Bryan Denny, deputy commander of 2nd Cav, (which, before it was renamed last year, was the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division) said Thursday that the regiment is used to following in the footsteps of 3rd Brigade, which also uses eight-wheeled Stryker armored personnel carriers.
U.S. unit enters an alliance of last resort
Elements of the 3/2 SBCT were involved in the operations described in the following article.
By Joshua Partlow, Washington Post
BAGHDAD, June 8 - The worst month of Lt. Col. Dale Kuehl's deployment in western Baghdad was finally drawing to a close. The insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq had unleashed bombings that killed 14 of his soldiers in May, a shocking escalation of violence for a battalion that had lost three soldiers in the previous six months while patrolling the Sunni enclave of Amiriyah. On top of that, the 41-year-old battalion commander was doubled up with a stomach flu when, late on May 29, he received a cellphone call that would change everything.
"We're going after al-Qaeda," a leading local imam said, Kuehl recalled. "What we want you to do is stay out of the way."
"Sheik, I can't do that. I can't just leave Amiriyah and let you go at it."
Out of death comes a new life for soldier’s family
Pretty incredible story.
by Jill Burke, KYUU News (Includes video)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Maria Sutherland's Army Stryker husband died at war, but that didn't stop the couple from having the baby they always dreamed of. He's a preemie, but doing well at four pounds, seven ounces, he's the full measure of his father's legacy and a family's love.
"I think that Stephen had a sixth sense that he needed to do this because he didn't think he was coming back," said Maria Sutherland.
Iraq War Vet Thankful for the Simple Things
Mark House is a lot more careful when he drives the streets of Santa Clarita, avoiding potholes and trash. In Iraq, those were likely hiding places for bombs.
He still instinctively looks for spots where a sniper might hide.
He still wakes up in the middle of the night from nightmares.
For the most part, the 36-year-old doesn't talk about a lot of what he went through, because a lot of people don't really understand.
SGT Jonathon R. Gilbert
The DoD announced today the death of a Stryker soldier killed during pre-deployment training.
Sgt. Jonathon R. Gilbert, 22, of Old Town, Idaho, was injured while conducting a squad exercise at the Grafenwöhr Training Area on May 30. He died at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Gilbert was assigned to Company H, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany.
We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers he leaves behind.
Memorial set for Vilseck soldier - Stars & Stripes
Vilseck mourns soldier killed during training for Iraq tour - Stars & Stripes
Hardt Column
Blog-Ah! has published its latest column from David Hardt, a soldier serving with the 3/2 SBCT in Iraq.
In Diyala, U.S. aligns with tribal leaders
U.S. military officials say they are making progress in negotiating with tribal leaders in a turbulent region north of Baghdad, using a formula that helped reduce violence in western Iraq.
“Within the last three or four months, we’ve seen a much greater interest in tribal reconciliation, and we’ve seen a shift in tribal attitudes,” Maj. Tim Brooks, a staff officer for the Army brigade based in Diyala province, said in a telephone interview from Iraq.
Photos: Various Stryker Albums
DVIDS has a number of recent photo albums featuring soldiers from both the 3/2 SBCT & 4/2 SBCT. All Stryker photos can be found by browsing these search results.
- Day-to-day Soldiers Maintain Presence, Build Trust (3 images), 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT
- Search Yields Explosives, Not Missing Comrades (10 images), 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT
- 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team Moves, Communicates (6 images), 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT
- Stryker Brigade Mission (6 images), 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT
- 4th Stryker Brigade Comabt Team Arrives in Iraq (4 images), 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT
- Stryker Unit Ready for Diyala Operations (4 images), 2-1 CAV, 4/2 SBCT
- Fort Lewis Soldiers on Patrol in Diyala (4 images), 2-1 CAV, 4/2 SBCT
- Soldiers Look After Iraqis Following Insurgent Attack (8 images), 2-12 FA, 4/2 SBCT
- Cordon and Search (11 images), 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT
SGT Andrew J. Higgins
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Andrew J. Higgins, 28, of Hayward, Calif., died June 5 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire.He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones he leaves behind.
SSG Greg P. Gagarin
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin, 38, of Los Angeles died June 3 in Thania, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time.
SGT Robert A. Surber
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Robert A. Surber, 24, of Inverness, Fla. died June 3 in Thania, Iraq of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
All of us here are deeply saddened by the loss of another Stryker soldier.
SGT Tyler J. Kritz
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Tyler J. Kritz, 21, of Eagle River, Wis. died June 3 in Thania, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
During this difficult time, we hope his loved ones can draw strength and comfort from those of us who hold you in our thoughts.
SGT James C. Akin
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. James C. Akin, 23, of Albuquerque, N.M. died June 3 in Thania, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
All of us here would like to offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Golden Dragons, Strykers Clear Radwaniyah Area
By Spc. Chris McCann, 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) PAO
RADWANIYAH, Iraq — The area just west of Baghdad and the coalition forces’ Victory Base Complex is quiet – so quiet that the tiny villages south of Az-Zaidon get very little attention.
But there are fears that this area, just southeast of Fallujah, is a bit too quiet.
“It’s an intelligence gap,” said Capt. Josh Betty, a native of College Station, Texas, and the assistant plans officer for the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y.
Arrests and multiple caches seized in Rashid
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi
Security Forces continued clearing operations in the East Rashid security district
of southern Baghdad June 1-4, detaining four suspected insurgents, destroying
an improvised explosive device and finding 11 weapons caches. Two terrorists
were also killed in a small arms engagement June 2.
The operation, known as Dragon Fire East/Arrowhead Strike 11, includes
approximately 2,000 Coalition troops from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry
Division. They are joined in the operation by Iraqi troops from the 7th Brigade,
2nd Iraqi National Police Division.
Fort Lewis service honors four soldiers
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis held another ceremony Tuesday to remember four soldiers killed in Iraq: two combat veterans who helped build a new brigade from scratch, and a pair of young infantrymen who joined the Army in a time of war.
About 300 soldiers, family members and others turned out at the Soldiers Field House to pay respects to Staff Sgts. David C. Kuehl and Kristopher A. Higdon, Cpl. Mathew P. LaForest and Pfc. Robert A. Worthington.
SPC Romel Catalan
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Romel Catalan, 21, of Los Angeles, died June 2 in Ameriyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
SPC William J. Crouch
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. William J. Crouch, 21, of Zachary, La., died June 2 in Al Hadid, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Crouch was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones he leaves behind. Please continue to check this entry for related articles.
The Fight Against IEDs
Baghdad - As U.S. forces surge into areas where insurgents have regrouped, soldiers are being increasingly hit by buried IEDs which cause devastating casualties by exploding through the underside of armored vehicles, commanders say.
The buried explosives are both more destructive than traditional improvised explosives devices often hidden in trash or disguised on the surface, and harder to find with current IED-clearing equipment.
4th Annual Ride & Rally For The Troops
On Sunday July 15, 2007, Destination Harley-Davidson in Tacoma, WA will host its 4th Annual Rally For The Troops, which is a charity motorcycle ride. Proceeds from the event will go to the Fisher House organization. In the past over 3,000 riders have participated, and this year they are hoping to exceed that number. I went down as a spectator in 2005 and it was an impressive event. Even if you don't ride it's a fun event. We'll post another reminder as the date approaches.
On the Ground in Amiriyah
The following report includes a brief mention of the 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT.
Baghdad - The leader of the resistance movement in Amiriyah was ecstatic. Standing in a courtyard in the Sunni enclave in West Baghdad, surrounded by U.S. soldiers, he believed the Americans had detained three al-Qaeda leaders.
They told him they had let two of them go because they couldn’t identify them. “Next time we’ll take you with us,” they said.
U.S. military officials say cooperation from a so-far small group of imams, neighborhood leaders and even former insurgents trying to drive out al-Qaeda is a promising spark. But both U.S. and Iraqi military commanders are wary of fanning it out of control.
Slogger's Highlights and Lowlights
Iraq Slogger has a good review of some of this past week's news, including a number of links to articles and pictures involving Stryker soldiers.
SGT Chadrick O. Domino
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Chadrick O. Domino, 23, of Ennis, Texas, died May 31 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he encountered enemy small arms fire while on dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
Locals Rise Up Against al Qaeda -- at a Cost
By JANE ARRAF, IraqSlogger.com
Baghdad – They were still bringing in the wounded when we arrived at the mosque in southern Amiriya Thursday morning, racing from the armored vehicles surrounded by bursts of gunfire.
An American soldier was among the casualties – killed by small arms fire. His name is being withheld. His commanders said he was an exceptional young man who re-enlisted after surviving a mortar attack that killed his roommate.
Stryker Unit Ready for Diyala Operations
By Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th MPAD
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Members of 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment searched the village of Qasirin, 10 miles southwest of Baqubah, Iraq, on May 21 in an effort to help bring security and stability to southern Diyala province.
The Soldiers, who arrived in Diyala in early May, are part of 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash.
They searched for signs of insurgent activities. Some places looked as though people had left hastily, but they did not find any weapons caches or insurgents amongst the rows of abandoned buildings, farmhouses and chicken coops.
Quick Kill system to protect Army Stryker
Raytheon’s Quick Kill Active Protection System will be fitted onto an Army Stryker vehicle for the first time this summer, say Raytheon and Army officials.
Quick Kill is designed to detect, track and bring down incoming rocket-propelled grenades, missiles and other weapons. The APS is being developed for the Army’s Future Combat Systems under a February 2006 deal between Raytheon and Boeing, which with SAIC is the FCS lead systems integrator.
David Hardt Column
Blog-Ah! has published its latest column by David Hardt, a soldier serving with the 3/2 SBCT in Iraq.
Iraq takes heavy toll on state
The Seattle P-I takes a close look at the losses suffered by Ft. Lewis units during the month of May.
By MIKE BARBER, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The previous 31 days broke tragic records and left broken hearts.
While May was the third-worst month for U.S. military deaths nationwide in Iraq with 122 U.S. deaths, it was the bloodiest ever for Washington members of the armed forces with 22 casualties.
As of Thursday, that was the toll of troops with state ties killed in Iraq for the month, all Army soldiers and most from Fort Lewis. It nearly doubles the previous worst month here, when 12 were killed in December 2004.
Press Briefing with Lt. Gen. Odierno
Recent comments by Lt. Gen. Odierno indicate that recent operations in Diyala are a prelude to a much larger offensive there. Elements of both the 3/2 SBCT and the 4/2 SBCT are involved.
DoD Press Briefing with Lt. Gen. Odierno from the Pentagon
[...]
Question: General, Bill McMichael with the Military Times papers. You mentioned that you're going to be moving some forces up toward Diyala in a couple of weeks. Is that in response to the request by your commander up there, who told us a couple of weeks ago that he needed more forces up there? How many forces are you moving up? And what are your concerns about the violence in Baghdad spilling over to Diyala and how intense that's become up there?
Fort Lewis rethinks end of individual memorials
Fort Lewis leaders are reconsidering a decision to end individual memorial ceremonies for soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A post spokesman said Thursday that Brig. Gen. William Troy, acting commander at Fort Lewis, has decided to review his decision to hold a single memorial once a month to honor soldiers recently killed in action.
Lt. Col. Robert Gilpin said Troy’s final ruling “will take into account the views of commanders, family readiness groups and our senior noncommissioned officers.”