U.S. troops exposed to chlorine gas
By Richard Tomkins, The Washington Times
BAQOUBA, Iraq — Two dozen U.S. soldiers and their interpreters were rushed to a hospital by helicopter this week from Diyala province's "bread basket" after being exposed to chlorine gas while destroying an al Qaeda explosives cache.
Military sources said all but four of the 26 persons were quickly returned to duty. The remainder stayed longer at the U.S. military hospital at Ballad, northeast of Baghdad, for additional observation.
Two Stryker soldiers honored for heroism
Here's another article regarding the recent announcement of two additional Silver Stars being awarded to 3/2 SBCT soldiers.
MIKE GILBERT; The News Tribune
The deep buried bomb hit the Stryker so hard it blew off the back ramp and sent Staff Sgt. Jon Hilliard flying out of his hatch, shot like a cork from a bottle.
“You’d think that something like that would’ve hurt,” the 26-year-old infantryman recalled Wednesday. “But actually it was almost serene.
“I remember feeling weightless, and then there was a bright yellow light at the bottom of my feet and I was flying through the air,” he said. “The next thing I know I’m looking up at the sky and ... it’s on fire.”
Coalition Forces capture high-value individual
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
ABU GHRAIB, Iraq – Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Multi-National Division – Baghdad detained an individual suspected of facilitating improvised-explosive devices and possible vehicle-borne explosive devices for al Qaeda in Iraq. Jan. 26.
Two other individuals suspected of facilitating improvised-explosive device activity in Abu Ghraib were also detained.
All three suspects are being held for further questioning.
These arrests are part of Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s ongoing offensive operations in support of the countrywide Operation Phantom Phoenix.
New Stryker Faring Poorly in Field
A not-so-flattering article regarding the Mobile Gun System variant first fielded by the 4/2 SBCT in Iraq.
By Christian Lowe, Military.com
BAQUBAH, Iraq - The newest version of the Army's popular Stryker combat vehicle is garnering poor reviews here from Soldiers assigned to man its tank-like hull.
The General Dynamics Corp.-built Mobile Gun System looks like a typical eight-wheeled Stryker, except for a massive 105mm gun mounted on its roof. The gun fires three different types of projectiles, including explosive rounds, tank-busters and a "canister round" that ejects hundreds of steel pellets similar to a shotgun shell.
2 Fort Lewis soldiers earn Silver Star
Two more Fort Lewis soldiers will be awarded the Silver Star today for acts last year during a 15-month deployment to Iraq.
That brings to at least 10 the number of soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) who have received the nation's third-highest award for combat valor.
The nearly 4,000 soldiers assigned to the brigade returned home in late September.
The soldiers receiving the award today are Staff Sgt. Jon Hilliard and Sgt. 1st Class Ismael Iban.
[...]
Stryker brigade, Makua key, Mixon says
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
The next commander of the U.S. Army in the Pacific said it's strategically important to have a Stryker brigade in Hawai'i, and that Makua Valley is needed for company-size live-fire exercises.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin R. "Randy" Mixon will gain a third star in the move Friday from commander of the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks to head of U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter.
In Iraq fear still grips Diyala's people
By RICHARD TOMKINS, Middle East Times
Fear of al-Qaida is a constant in the newly liberated areas of Iraq's Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad. The number of terrorists is down and life for villagers is becoming more secure. Yet terror's reach is long and deep.
"Al-Qaida made us like chickens, afraid of everything," the mukhtar (headman) of al-Hib village told a U.S. soldier.
"They would kill anyone, even a sheik, and no one could ask why," a man who identified himself as Raad, said in the town of Hisbum. "Everyone was afraid. People stayed at home because they could just stop you on the street and make you do things, take your money, beat you, or kidnap you.
U.S. begins Diyala outreach
By RICHARD TOMKINS, Middle East Times
HIMBUS , Iraq, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. military operations have transitioned from kinetic warfare to outreach efforts to root out al-Qaida-Iraq operatives hiding among the people in newly liberated areas of the northern Diyala River Valley.
Earlier this week hundreds of Iraqis queued in the dirt outside an elementary school in Iraq's Northern Diyala River Valley to benefit from a major outreach effort by U.S. and Iraqi military doctors -- the first free medical clinic for residents of the town of Himbus and its surrounding villages.
In al-Hib children lined up behind Stryker armored vehicles and carried armloads of U.S.-donated notebooks, pencils and other materials into their school. The same morning, drivers of 66 trucks lined up at East Sawid and then headed north to Mosul to market their oranges, potatoes, pomegranates and dates after U.S. and Iraqi troops inspected their vehicles, took down driver details and issued special passes.
Soldiers Bring Medicine to Local Iraqis
By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans, 2nd SBCT, 25th Infantry Division
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Multi-National Division – Baghdad and Iraqi soldiers hosted a combined medical engagement Jan. 25 at the Falahat girls school in Taji, which is located north of Baghdad.
The medical engagement was intended to bring medical care to a community that had been overlooked in the past.
“This area is predominantly Sunni, so many of the families have been neglected when it comes to medical care,” said 1st Lt. Jon Still, and native of Union City, Penn., who serves as a medical officer and event coordinator with 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, MND-B.
Battle Flag Flies in Iraq Again
See the previous article we posted regarding the flag.
By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans, 2nd SBCT Public Affairs, 25th ID
TAJI, Iraq — The tattered, yet proud American battle flag once again made its way from Hawaii and patrolled the streets of Iraq, Jan. 22, to honor the fallen Soldiers who served with it.
Rather than appearing in combat, the battle flag was shared with the Iraqi army on a humanitarian mission and a mounted patrol in the vicinity of Taji, Iraq.
Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, brought the flag with them to a new medical clinic outside Taji, where the Iraqi army delivers medical supplies and furniture.
'Just another day at the office'
Here's another article regrading an incident that occurred last week.
By KEITH ROGERS, REVIEW-JOURNAL
A little more than a week ago, Rob Congdon was ducking bullets fired by a sniper while he and other medics tried to rescue five soldiers wounded in a roadside bomb attack on a Stryker armored vehicle.
"It was just a single shooter," Congdon, a Bonanza High School graduate, former local lifeguard and paramedic, said about the Jan. 18 encounter about 20 miles north of Baghdad, near the Tigris River.
"He fired three rounds and we went inside the Stryker," he said Thursday by telephone from Camp Taji, Iraq. "We raised the ramp so he wouldn't have any clear angle.
Tribal Sheik turns in two weapons caches
By 2nd Stryker BCT PAO, 25th Inf. Div.
CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, and Iraqi Army Soldiers were directed to a weapons cache by a Tribal Sheik leader in Tarmiya Jan. 14.
Contents of the cache included a car bomb, 44 blocks of TNT, four 122mm mortars and seven large containers of home made explosives.
Model planes earn their stripes in war
By Richard Tomkins, The Washington Times
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY, Iraq — Flying model airplanes might not seem like fit work for grown men, especially soldiers.
But the use of "unmanned aerial vehicles," or UAVs, is transforming the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing U.S. commanders with real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target-acquisition data that was never available before.
CLC provides tip to cache, roadside bomb
2nd Stryker, Cav. Regt. Public Affairs
ABU GHRAIB, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, attached to the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, found a cache in an abandoned building approximately 20 km. north of the Abu Ghraib district Jan. 18.
The cache consisted of .50 caliber small arms rounds, 70 mm rocket warheads, a rocket launcher, a surveyor’s tripod, a motor base plate, other small arms munitions and various grenade parts.
Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry , 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division acted on a tip from a Concerned Local Citizen, and found a deep buried improvised explosive device in the same area Jan. 19.
Thirty al Qaeda in Iraq killed in Diyala
The Long War Journal has a brief update on recent coalition operations in Diyala, where the 4/2 SBCT and elements of the 2nd Stryker Cav. Regiment are based. Excerpt:
Iraqi and Coalition forces continue to press the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq in the northeastern province of Diyala, where the terror group maintains small pockets. In the latest series of raids as part of Operation Raider Harvest, Iraqi and US forces killed 30 al Qaeda operatives and captured 21, including a senior al Qaeda leader, during raids and operations.
Fort Lewis mourns Cpl. Jason Lemke
By Melissa Santos, The News Tribune
Fellow soldiers remembered Cpl. Jason Lemke as a dedicated father and source of comedic relief during a memorial service for the fallen infantryman Wednesday at Fort Lewis.
Lemke, 30, died Jan. 5 after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Ibrahim Al Adham, Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division – the Stryker brigade that has lost 34 soldiers since deploying in April.
Operation Raider Harvest Reaps the Breadbasket
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Coalition and Iraqi army soldiers are focusing their combat strength on clearing al-Qaida from Diyala province, Iraq, in support of Operation Raider Harvest. The operation is a part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, an Iraq wide offensive to destroy AQI and provide stability to the Iraqi government.
Operation Raider Harvest, executed by the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is a complex mission with many moving parts and several phases.
“Deny, hold and build,” said 4-2 SBCT Commander Col. Jon Lehr. “We must deny safe haven to al-Qaida and other insurgents throughout our area of responsibility wherever they hope to find it. We must set the conditions for Iraqi security forces to hold these hard fought areas so they don’t slip back into the enemy’s hands. And we must assist the government of Iraq to build the economic, governance and essential services infrastructures in these areas.”
Coalition disrupts al-Qaeda in Iraq operating in Diyala
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed 15 terrorists Tuesday and today during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks north of Baqubah.
During an operation Tuesday, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an alleged leader for the al-Qaeda in Iraq network operating in the Diyala province. The targeted individual is believed to be an improvised explosive device specialist involved in coordinating IED and suicide-vest attacks in the region. Reports also indicate the targeted individual has ties to several al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders.
As Coalition forces arrived in the target area, they observed several individuals reach for their weapons. Coalition forces fired warning shots in an attempt to get the men to cease their actions, but they did not comply. Perceiving hostile intent from the armed men, Coalition forces engaged, killing two terrorists, to include the wanted individual.
Operation Gratitude Gives Jeep to Soldier in Iraq
Clarification: The vehicle was donated by the Jeep brand of Chrysler LLC.
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to deployed service members, surprised an unknowing Soldier with a 2008 Jeep Liberty at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq, Jan. 22. The free car was in celebration of meeting their goal of 300,000 packages sent to Soldiers.
Spc. Michael Gallagher from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., was the recipient of Operation Gratitude’s special care package.
SPC Jon M. Schoolcraft, III
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Jon M. Schoolcraft, III, 26, of Wapakoneta, Ohio, died Jan. 19 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
After Al Qaeda
This time the sound of Stryker personnel carriers rolling into the town of Himbus had a triumphal rumble to it. Two weeks after launching an offensive to drive Al Qaeda in Iraq from its stronghold in Diyala province, American soldiers were back, arriving in broad daylight in a trio of provincial towns to see townsfolk cautiously venturing into streets they had once avoided and interacting openly with Iraqi security forces.
Platoons watched as residents lined up for fleece jackets and rice being distributed by Iraqi soldiers in the hamlet of Abu Musa. Soldiers mingled with people receiving medical care for the first time in weeks at a clinic in Himbus. And they stood guard while men, women and children filled jugs of kerosene from a tanker truck in Taiha.
Taji Area Changes Hands
By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — The past week marked a significant change around the Taji area just north of Baghdad.
Taji has witnessed new units officially take charge of the area of operation, culminating Jan. 15 with the brigade’s transfer of authority ceremony, which symbolized the official handing over of the area to the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division from the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
Throughout the past 15 months, the 1st Bde. 1st Cav. Div. worked hard to create a secure environment for the local leaders and the government of Iraq to start rebuilding the essential services and the bonds between the leaders in the area.
Military Leader Makes Personal Visit to Local Leader
By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs
TAJI, Iraq — In a continuing effort to reach out and build stronger relationships with local leaders, Hudson, Ohio, native, Col. Todd B. McCaffrey, commander of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, made a personal stop to visit Sheik Sabah, local leader of Hor al Bash, a community outside Baghdad.
This trip was mostly just a meet and greet, but McCaffrey and Sheik Sabah discussed topics like essential services and traffic in the area.
The major essential service Sheik Sabah brought to the discussion was bringing electricity back to the community. The power lines were damaged a while back, but the community replaced the broken parts. The only thing that needed to be done was have the lines hooked back up.
MEDEVAC Crews Brave Enemy Fire to Save Soldiers
By SFC Thomas Mills, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Aero-medical evacuation crews from Task Force Marne faced down enemy gunfire to deliver five injured Soldiers to safety, Jan. 18.
The MEDEVAC crews from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were called in when a patrol of Strykers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division was attacked.
The Black Hawk helicopters flew to the site only to find that the easiest place to land, the road the Stryker vehicles were on, had not been cleared of possible improvised explosive devices. The MEDEVAC crews were unable to contact the ground forces, or an Apache team from 12th Combat Aviation Brigade in the area.
MND-North Soldiers liberate 2 from al Qaeda prison
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Coalition forces liberated two Iraqi males with signs of torture from an al-Qaeda prison near Arab Jabar, south of Baquba in the early morning hours of Jan. 20.
Soldiers of 2-1 Cavalry, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered the building, which was closed off by a heavy, deadbolt-locked door. The Soldiers were clearing the area of AQI in support of Operation Raider Harvest, the Diyala province portion of Operation Phantom Phoenix – a country-wide offensive to rid Iraq of extremists.
“We could hear voices inside the room,” said Spc. Christopher Nollenberg, a cavalry scout with 2-1 CAV., who was one of the first to enter the chamber. “They called out for help and told us they were prisoners.”
Profile: Michael Yon
The New York Times has an in-depth profile of independent journalist Mike Yon in today's paper. Excerpt:
Michael Yon was not a journalist, and he wasn’t sure what a blogger was. He had been in uniform but not in combat, and he wanted to keep it that way. He went to Iraq thinking he would stay for a month, and maybe find a way to write about the war after he got home.Instead, he has spent most of the last three years in Iraq, writing prolifically and graphically, and racking up more time embedded with combat units than any other journalist, according to the United States military. He has been shot at, buffeted by explosions and seen more people maimed — fighters and civilians, adults and children — than he can count.
“The easiest thing in the world to write about is combat, because all the drama is there,” said Mr. Yon, a fit, ruddy-faced 43-year-old who was a Special Forces soldier more than two decades ago. He insists that he still does not really know the rules of journalism, but says he has recently, grudgingly, accepted that he has become a journalist.
Military Support
Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune has published a long list of resources available to military families looking for support. While it is geared towards the Ft. Lewis community it is still relevant to everyone.
Photos: Strykers in Action
DVIDS has a number of new photo albums featuring all three Stryker Brigades in Iraq right now. Start here and work your way back through the archives.
Tips lead to detention of 10 AQI
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 10 suspected al Qaeda in Iraq operatives during a raid in an Al Ali village, in the northern Diyala River Valley area, known as the bread basket, Jan. 17.
The successful raid was part of Operation Raider Harvest, which is part of Operation Phantom Phoenix – a countrywide operation to eliminate AQI and other extremists in Iraq.
Working off tips from local Iraqis, Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment detained the suspects at seven different locations in the village.
General Lee Comes Home, Part 2
This is Part II of a story we originally posted back in September. Excerpt:
The Stryker community and beyond knows General Lee through writer Michael Yon’s dispatch titled “Superman,” which recounts unit activity where General Lee carried its soldiers on their duties virtually unscathed by roadside bombs. Michael Yon is a writer, photographer and former Green Beret who. was embedded in Iraq for nine months in 2005. He returned to Iraq in 2007 to continue reporting on the war. He is entirely reader supported and publishes his work at http://www.michaelyon-online.com.General Lee, declared a battle loss, traveled by land and sea to ANAD, where it went through much the same process as every other vehicle. ANAD overhauls or resets around 100-150 vehicles a month.
The Army calls returning damaged equipment to like-new condition reset, which returns a vehicle to a unit ready to go.
“Frankly, my view is the difference between a hollow army and an army that can sustain itself in a period of persistent conflict is reset,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey said in a state-of-the-Army speech Oct. 8.
US-Iraqi troops sweep Al Qaeda village haven
Link via FOB Tacoma.
By Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor
Hussein Al-Hamadi, Iraq - The first sign of the presence of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) looms out of the frozen darkness on the edge of this remote village. A white car is found hidden under a canopy of trees. It's not rigged to explode, but it was used by the insurgents. Inside, they've left behind a list of expenses on a yellow notepad.
For the month of November, the ledger notes that AQI paid snipers 273,000 Iraqi dinars ($230). Roadside bombers got twice that amount. The largest single expense: $3,000 paid to "martyrs" and their families.
The document is topped with an obscure name for the militant cell, and signed simply: "The Management."
MND-North Soldiers capture Baquba extremist cell leader
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers detained a suspected IED and suicide-bomb cell leader during a targeted raid in Baquba Jan. 16.
The suspect is linked to an extremist network spanning from Baquba to Samarra and his cell is allegedly responsible for recent IED activity in the Baquba market, Amin School, and the Jan. 9 house-borne improvised explosive device that resulted in the death of six U.S. Soldiers.
The suspect is also believed to be linked to a Syrian suicide-bombing facilitator and recent intelligence reports indicate he has requested suicide bombers from Mosul.
Soldiers from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division captured the suspect with an AK-47 and extended magazine.
“(The suspect) is tied into the suicide-vest cell in old Baquba that we have been targeting, and this capture should lead to the arrest of several more members of this suicide cell,” said Capt. Andy Padden, 2-12 Field Artillery. “Taking him off the streets will likely lower the amount of IEDs in all of Diyala province.”
Stryker Reset
Both The News Tribune and The Olympian have stories regarding the ongoing repair work for the 3/2 SBCT's Stryker vehicles.
- Army spends $43 million to reset strykers An important makeover - The News Tribune
- More on the Stryker reset - FOB Tacoma
- What it takes to repair Stryker brigade’s vehicles - The Olympian
Update: Operation Phantom Phoenix
The Long War Journal has an extensive update on the progress of Operation Phantom Phoenix, which is ongoing.
Hundreds Honor 6 'Brave Men'
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
VILSECK, Germany - Their families and most of their friends were thousands of miles away, but hundreds of comrades packed Vilseck Chapel on Wednesday for a ceremony to honor six 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment Soldiers killed in a booby-trapped house in Iraq last week.
Second Cav Rear Detachment commander Lt. Col. Tom Rickard told those assembled that the Soldiers were victims of a desperate act by a retreating enemy blowing up its own safe houses.
"The brave men we honor today will be forever remembered for their accomplishments. Iraqis will tell this story to generations. Foreigners who removed a dictator ... Americans who never quit month after month ... never claimed Iraqi soil for their own ... and stood shoulder to shoulder with their Iraqi brothers in arms," he said.
Lufkin soldier in stable condition
Here's an update on a 4/2 SBCT soldier who was recently wounded in Iraq.
By NICK WADE, The Lufkin Daily News
LUFKIN — A soldier from Lufkin was in stable condition Monday after sustaining serious injuries while on duty in Iraq.
Specialist David Daniel Corley was on patrol Thursday near Baquba, Iraq, when he was struck by enemy fire. The bullet shattered Corley's left jaw and passed into his neck, causing two fractured cervical vertebrae. The impact caused Corley to fall and injure his right shoulder, and fracture his right ankle.
100th Stryker repair completed at Qatar site
By Army Sustainment Command News Release
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar-A ceremony marking the completion of the 100th Stryker Combat Vehicle was held Jan. 12 at the Stryker Battle Damage Repair Facility, Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar.
Col. Robert W. Schumiz, program manager for the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Warren, Mich., spoke to the 90-member workforce and other invited guests.
Schumitz summarized the historical accomplishments of the facility - including the repair of five Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle 513s. The ICV 513s were damaged and initially identified as a total loss when they arrived. Once the facility stood up, the vehicles became the first to be repaired in Spring 2005.
‘Operation Raider Harvest’ Provides Humanitarian Aid
Story by Spc. John Crosby, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MANSURIYAH — Operation Raider Harvest, a large scale operation in the Northern Diyala River Valley involving more than 4,000 troops from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is shifting focus from a clearing operation to a rebuilding operation.
The changes are showing in the streets. Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets of Mansuriyah, Jan. 13, some to observe their new Iraqi Army and Coalition Force neighbors, others to collect bags full of rice and flour during a humanitarian aid (HA) drop conducted by Soldiers of Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR).
“We are working to establish projects to improve life support and improve the infrastructure,” said Capt. Robert Green, Grim Troop Commander, 2-3 ACR.
Combat engineers help take back the ”Bread Basket”
Click through for photos as well.
By Spc. John Crosby, 4/2 SBCT PAO
MANSURIYAH, Iraq – On Jan. 10, in one of the most dangerous places in Iraq, the combat engineers of 1st Platoon, 38th Engineer Company formed a circle, putting their arms around each other with their hands in the middle. They proudly exclaimed their platoon motto as they raised their hands in unison. They then slowly bowed their heads in prayer, asking for guidance before embarking into the Diyala province area known as the “Bread Basket.”
Since May, the men of the 38th Engineer Company have put their lives on the line on an almost daily basis, searching for improvised explosive devices along some of the most dangerous roads in the world. The day’s mission, however, is especially dangerous, as the engineers must clear routes into the northern Diyala River Valley, an area al-Qaida in Iraq has called home for several years.
Operation Raider Harvest Transitions Focus From Enemy to the People
MANSURIYAH, Iraq – Operation Raider Harvest, a large scale operation in the Northern Diyala River Valley involving more than 4,000 troops from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is shifting focus from a clearing operation, to a rebuilding operation.
The streets are showing changes. Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets of Mansuriyah, Iraq, Jan. 13, some to observe their new Iraqi army and coalition forces neighbors, others to collect bags full of rice and flour during a humanitarian aid drop conducted by Soldiers of Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
“We are working to establish projects to improve life support and improve the infrastructure,” said Capt. Robert Green, Grim Troop Commander, 2-3 ACR.
Diyala Provincial Governor Visits Muqdadiyah Officials
MUQDADIYAH, Iraq – Diyala Provincial Governor Ra’ad Rasheed Hameed Al Mullah visited local representatives of qa’da (county) governments located in and around Muqdadiyah at Forward Operating Base Normandy, Iraq, Jan. 14.
The intent was to bring the director generals or the technocrats of all the key essential services including water, electricity, health, education, municipalities and oil here to link them up with their counterparts at the qa’da level, said the Reconciliations Engagement Officer Maj. Nicholas Difiore of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash.
Middle East Times reporter hurt by IED
Here's more on a story we posted yesterday.
By RICHARD TOMKINS, Middle East Times
The improvised explosive device, or IED, is al-Qaida's weapon of choice in the war in Iraq. Encountering one, whether soldier or civilian, is simply a matter of chance or fate, unless you are a U.S, military combat engineer. Then it is a question of "when" rather than "if."
Combat engineers in any country's military are the unsung heroes of war. They are upfront, ahead of the so-called "tip of the spear" infantry. They destroy obstacles and construct bridges and paths the foot soldier must pass through to reach their objective. In Iraq, they also seek out the IEDs terrorists and insurgents use to great effect.
I accompanied one such unit last week and learned firsthand the difference between imagining what it's like to be blown up by an IED and actually experiencing it.
In Iraq’s Bread Basket, it’s 18 men and a baby
AMIT R. PALEY; The Washington Post
TAIYEH, Iraq – The distress call rang out over the radio. In the midst of one of the largest current military operations in Iraq, Capt. Mike Stinchfield recognized this was, so far, his most urgent mission of the day.
A captured insurgent? A fallen comrade? Not quite. A local woman had gone into labor, and within minutes about 18 U.S. soldiers endeavored to help.
“That’s a lot of men to secure a baby,” said Stinchfield, 37, of Vancouver, Wash., the commander of Company H, 3rd Squadron of the Army’s 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. “But that’s what this war is like. It’s slow and boring most days, and not much happens.”
U.S. finishing al Qaeda sweep in Diyala
Another link via FOB Tacoma.
By Richard Tomkins, The Washington Times
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY, Iraq — U.S. military forces say they have largely completed combat operations and are working to consolidate their gains after a six-day push into the so-called "Bread Basket" area of Diyala province.
Clearing operations still are under way in the area, military authorities said, but day-to-day security will be handed over increasingly to Iraqi army and police units. A network of Concerned Local Citizens groups — an armed neighborhood-watch organization — also will be buttressed and expanded.
"Although decisive, the combat operations will likely not have as great of an effect as the next phases," said Lt. Col. James Brown, executive officer of 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division.
Iraq offensive: Clear out militants – and stay
Link via FOB Tacoma.
By Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor
BAQUBAH, Iraq - US forces are solidifying control over some of the most persistent militant strongholds of Al Qaeda in Iraq northeast of Baghdad, drawing on a new counterinsurgency model that has already seen some success in troubled Diyala Province.
The newly established US military control over what officers call the "breadbasket" – the lush Diyala River Valley 70 miles northeast of the capital – is only the first part of a multiprong strategy to boost numbers of Iraqi Army and police in the area and re-connect beleaguered local authorities to the provincial government and Baghdad.
"We [and] the Iraqi forces and government are committing ourselves to staying in this area, which has previously not happened," says Lt. Col. James Brown, executive officer of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "It's been go in, find Al Qaeda in Iraq, kill them, and then leave. Big surprise, they come right back."
Hawaii studies on Strykers, Makua done
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
An Army environmental study of where to permanently station Hawai'i's Stryker brigade has been completed, officials said, and expectations are the decision will be made to keep the armored vehicle brigade here.
However, opponents are ready to challenge the decision as soon as it's released publicly — possibly as early as February — saying the Army still hasn't adequately addressed alternative locations, as required by federal environmental law.
Lt. Gen. John M. Brown III, the commander of U.S. Army Pacific, with headquarters at Fort Shafter, recently said at a Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i meeting that both an environmental impact statement for the Stryker brigade and a long-stalled study of military training in Makua Valley have been completed.
Stryker Soldiers Improve Soldier Care
By Sgt. Mark Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP STRIKER — Soldiers with U.S. Army Europe's Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, have continued to "improve their foxhole" since their arrival here in August, and the evidence is visible in the recently upgraded Troop Medical Clinic (TMC) here.
"We got the mission in September to provide a Level 2 clinic to support Camp Striker," said Maj. John McMurray, Medical Troop commander. "This TMC is a 24-hour medical treatment facility offering a pharmacy, X-rays, a lab, physical therapy, behavioral health and patient hold capabilities for all Soldiers."
An Iraqi House Was Rigged to Kill American Soldiers
What follows is a rather graphic article describing the scene following last week's casualties in Diyala.
By STEPHEN FARRELL, The New York Times
SINSIL, Iraq — The courtyard was a scene of devastation, strewn with medieval mud brick and modern cinder block, shattered alike by the explosion that killed six American soldiers and their Iraqi interpreter.
From the alleyway outside a day later, there was little sign that this was the house where the bomb exploded Wednesday, during an offensive to clear Sunni insurgents from the northern Diyala River valley, 60 miles north of Baghdad.
The same building complex had been cleared of explosives two weeks earlier, commanders say. But the ill-fated unit was apparently lured back to it by a villager who did not tell them that insurgents had sneaked back in later and rigged the house to explode.
U.S. troops turn police investigators
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
DIYALA RIVER VALLEY, IRAQ -- A stocky man in a dusty dishdasha and red-checked scarf squatted under a tree as U.S. soldiers dug up his yard looking for weapons or other incriminating evidence.
Staff Sgt. Mario Cavazos knelt in front of him in the finger-numbing cold.
"The reason we are here is because we have heard from townspeople that you have been kidnapping people. Is that true?" he asked through an interpreter.
Soldiers come back for more
MICHAEL GILBERT, The News Tribune
While he was in Iraq, the re-enlistment sergeant for the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, kept a competitive eye on his counterpart from another brigade.
That unit was racking up impressive numbers – so much so that by the time it returned home last month to Fort Richardson, Alaska, it had the highest re-enlistments of any combat brigade in the Army.
But only in terms of percentages.
SGT Christopher A. Sanders
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders, 22, of Roswell, N.M., died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
We hope his family, friends, and fellow soldiers find some measure of comfort from the thoughts and prayers of everyone here at Strykernews.
SFC Matthew I. Pionk
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk, 30, of Superior, Wis., died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time.
SGT Zachary W. McBride
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Zachary W. McBride, 20, of Bend, Ore., died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
Our condolences are offered to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
SSG Sean M. Gaul
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul, 29, of Reno, Nev., died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
The Strykernews family offers our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
SSG Jonathan K. Dozier
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, of Chesapeake, Virginia, died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
We offer our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
SPC Todd E. Davis
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Todd E. Davis, 22, of Raymore, Mo., died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
Operation Raider Harvest holding phase begins
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – Raider Harvest, an operation designed to clear al-Qaeda in Iraq from the northern Diyala River Valley, and keep them out, will soon switch into the holding phase as part of Operation Phantom Phoenix.
During the clearing phase, which began Jan. 8 and is currently ongoing, Coalition Forces killed four enemy fighters, wounded another four and detained 24 individuals.
In addition, CF also discovered and cleared 13 improvised explosive devices, 10 vehicleborn IEDs, four house-born IEDs and 15 weapon caches.
Roundtable With COL RisCassi
Colonel John RisCassi, commander of the 2nd SCR, recently conducted a teleconference from Baghdad regarding the regiment's recent operations. You can read the full transcript (PDF file). Thanks to Cannoneer No. 4 for the link. Excerpt:
COL. RISCASSI: I sure do and welcome to everybody, and I'll just have a quick opening statement here. Then I'll gladly take your questions in the amount of time we have available. So I just want to start off with again a brief statement.The regiment, 2SCR, assumed responsibility as the above-ground force for Multinational Division Baghdad in September. Our role has been to provide forces across the city and to conduct clearing operations of the remaining al Qaeda in concentrations in Baghdad. We're currently providing squadrons or soldiers to four brigade combat teams, and have soldiers operating across Baghdad.
For the past four months, the regiment's focus was the clearance of the East Rashid security district, specifically the Hadar mahalla, which was one of the last significant concentrations of al Qaeda in Baghdad. The regiment had great success in East Rashid. Our soldiers found and reduced over 100 IEDs and found over 50 caches, including a wide range of munitions, explosives and weapons.
After 106 days of continuous operations, we have reduced enemy attacks in East Rashid from over 12 a day to less than one event every two days. Much of this success was the result of cooperation and tips from the local population, as they expressed their disenchantment of al Qaeda violence and social restrictions.
In addition to our clearing operations, we supported markets and small businesses across East Rashid, encouraged the creation of CLCs, concerned local citizen groups, and reinforced the local neighborhood action committees. There are now over 2,000 CLCs, including both contracted guards and security volunteers, manning over 100 checkpoints. It is their involvement and courage, in conjunction with the local Iraqi security forces -- (inaudible) -- long-term security and stability in East Rashid.
With that brief update, I'll gladly take your questions.
`A hideous accident'
By Wendy Thomas Russell, Press-Telegram
LONG BEACH - For five months last year, Long Beach resident Leon Ayers was among the tens of thousands of American fathers wishing for the safe return of their sons from the war in Iraq.
In September, Ayers got his wish - but it wasn't the homecoming he had imagined.
Timothy Ayers, then 20, was sent back to the United States after accidentally shooting and killing his Army platoon sergeant while stationed outside Baghdad Sept. 5. The Army since has accused the young soldier of negligently discharging his weapon under Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Update: Operation Phantom Phoenix
The Long War Journal has a detailed update on the progress of Operation Phantom Phoenix. Excerpt:
Further north, Iraqi and Coalition forces are pressing the attack in Miqdadiyah as part of Operation Iron Harvest. Miqdadiyah is a known al Qaeda haven.US and Iraqi forces liberated six villages from al Qaeda control in the region near Miqdadiyah, Iraqi army Major General Abdul Karim al Rubaie, the director of operations in central Diyala province told AFP.
"The villages have been under the control of al-Qaeda for a long time," Rubaie. "We have taken them back and al-Qaeda has been chased out." Ten al Qaeda were reported killed and 20 captured during the operation.
Stryker vehicle flips, causing minor injuries
By Amanda Bohman, Daily News-Miner
A Stryker vehicle slid into a ditch and rolled, injuring the two Fort Wainwright soldiers who occupied it Thursday morning, the U.S. Army announced Friday.
The unnamed soldiers were treated and released from Bassett Army Community Hospital, said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Allen. They have since returned to duty.
Damage to the Stryker vehicle, which came to rest upside down, is still being determined, Allen said.
The single-vehicle accident on Old Badger Road took place shortly after 9 a.m., said Allen, speaking from Anchorage. The soldiers, assigned to 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were conducting training.
[...]
Battling in the Bread Basket
Riding with the 2-23 INF, 4/2 SBCT in Diyala.
By Lennox Samuels, Newsweek Web Exclusive
Operation Iron Harvest began in the dark of night, as Blackfoot Company soldiers marched across the bridge leading from their K-Wal combat outpost in Shakarat and headed toward the village of Sinsil some 500 yards away. It could have been another nighttime mission, but in fact was the opening maneuver in a determined U.S. military operation to drive Al Qaeda in Iraq out of Diyala province. In the next few hours the Americans would narrowly escape an IED attack, face sniper fire and establish a beachhead for the expected final onslaught on Al Qaeda.
Hounded from Anbar province and other hiding places, the insurgents have descended on their longtime stronghold of Diyala to wage a murderous stealth effort built around IED detonations and high-profile suicide and bombing attacks. But the U.S. forces believe they are slowly beating them back and have deployed some 24,000 U.S. troops and 50,000 Iraqi Army soldiers to take part in the four-province operation. "We want to put a stake in [them] and be done with it," says Brig. Gen. James Boozer, assistant commander in chief of Multinational Division-North, in a briefing before the launch.
The Desert Raider - January Edition
The Desert Raider magazine is a monthly publication distributed by the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 4/2 SBCT community.
Provided below is a link to the most recent edition. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the document, but it is available for free if you need it.
- The Desert Raider - January 2008 Edition (PDF, 3.53 MB)
Family Reunion in Combat
By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans, 2/25 SBCT Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Two brothers chose different paths right after high school, but in the end wound up in the same place.
The first joined the Army to see the world, while the other went off to college to study the world.
Years after they said their goodbyes in their hometown of West Frankfort, Ill., their life paths crossed here, 6,692 miles away in the city of Baghdad.
Now, after being separated for more than four years, Sgt. Michael Shaw, field artillery specialist, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, finally had the opportunity to meet up with his brother, Spc. Ronald Shaw, field artillery specialist, Company B, 2nd Battlion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, ‘Warrior.’
U.S. Offensive Targets al Qaeda in Northern Iraq
Click through for a photo of a 4/2 SBCT soldier clearing a house with a military working dog.
WASHINGTON (AFPS Jan. 10, 2008) - American military forces in northern Iraq launched an offensive this week targeting al Qaeda elements operating in the region.
Code-named "Iron Harvest," the operation dovetails with Operation Phantom Phoenix, a countrywide anti-insurgent offensive announced Tuesday by Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, senior officers told reporters during a Baghdad news conference.
Soldier no longer faces foreclosure
I'm grateful that Mike Barber followed up on this story.
A Fort Lewis soldier who returned from stresses of war last year to the face the subprime mortgage mess threatening to foreclose on his family's dream home is now in the clear.
Sgt. Marcus Barton said some encouraging readers of a P-I story on him last month provided moral and financial assistance to keep creditors at bay.
Instead of facing foreclosure and broken finances, Barton, his wife, Sarah, who is expecting their third child, and their two sons will be able to sell their North Tacoma house to break even and later this year move to new quarters on the Army post.
U.S. bombers target Al Qaeda in Iraq
By Alexandra Zavis and Julian E. Barnes, Los Angeles Times
SINSIL THARIA, IRAQ -- U.S. bombers and fighter jets continued an aggressive attack on the southern outskirts of Baghdad this morning, unleashing 38 bombs in 10 minutes on suspected Al Qaeda in Iraq safe havens.
In all, they dropped 40,000 pounds of bombs on Arab Jabour, in an area of mostly farmland, the U.S. military said in a statement.
Like Diyala, Arab Jabour has been plagued with ongoing violence, despite efforts to purge Al Qaeda. Some Awakening Councils — U.S.-backed security forces of former Sunni insurgents — have formed nearby, but none have achieved much success in the district on the outskirts of the capital. [...]
New Iraq offensive: 9 U.S. deaths in 2 days
Hal Bernton of The Seattle Times contributed to this report originally published by The New York Times.
By STEPHEN FARRELL and RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr., The New York Times
ARAB HAMADAH, Iraq — In one of the deadliest stretches for U.S. troops in months, militants killed nine soldiers in the volatile Sunni Arab heartlands north of Baghdad as the military launched its third offensive in a year to dislodge Sunni guerrillas from sanctuaries deep within the lush farmlands and palm groves of Diyala province.
Six of the U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday at an unspecified location in Diyala in part of the offensive when insurgents detonated a large bomb hidden inside a house. Four other soldiers were wounded, and an Iraqi interpreter was killed.
The military did not release further information, but in Diyala, northeast of Baghdad, house bombs have long been a staple weapon for Sunni fighters who try to lure soldiers inside booby-trapped buildings. [...]
Nine U.S. soldiers killed
Michael Gilbert of The News Tribune contributed to the following report originally published by The Washington Post.
AMIT R. PALEY AND JOSHUA PARTLOW; The Washington Post
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY, Iraq – A house booby-trapped with explosives killed six American soldiers on Wednesday during an offensive against Sunni insurgents in Diyala province.
The blast, which also killed an Iraqi translator and injured four U.S. soldiers, took place on the second day of an unusually large campaign in Diyala against the insurgent group al-Qaida in Iraq. On Tuesday, three American troops were shot to death in the neighboring northern province of Salahuddin.
Fort Lewis officials said Wednesday that they hadn’t been notified of any new casualties. The post’s 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division has hundreds of soldiers in the thick of the Diyala offensive.
Photos: Recent Stryker Operations
Provided below are links to photo albums featuring recent operations by Stryker soldiers.
- Diayla Raid (6 photos) - Alongside the 4/2 SBCT during Operation Iron Harvest
- Operation Raider Harvest Sweeps Diyala Province (4 photos) - Alongside the 4/2 SBCT during Operation Iron Harvest
- Warrior Strykers Start Rolling in Iraq (9 photos) - 2/25 SBCT arrives in Taji
MND-North Soldiers kill 4 extremists, destroy HBIED
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed four extremists and destroyed a house-borne improvised explosive device near Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, with air strikes Jan. 6.
Soldiers of Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team operating at Patrol Base Key West spotted four individuals with RPGs and AK-47s operating in and around a nearby building.
The Soldiers watched them unroll wire around the building, possibly setting it up to be a HBIED.
The ground commander called in an air strike, and a Coalition Forces’ helicopter fired a hellfire missile at the building. Minutes later, Coalition Forces’ aircraft dropped two bombs on the structure.
After the second bomb, large secondary explosions and different kinds of smoke were observed at the site by the MND-N Soldiers. Exploitation of the site revealed wire around the building, confirming that the building was rigged as a HBIED.
Coalition, IA finds bomb making facility outside Baghdad
2/25 SBCT and 2nd SCR forces were involved in the following operation.
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
AL BAYTARA, ABU GHRAIB, Iraq – Iraqi Army Soldiers from 3d Battalion, 3d Brigade, 6th Division and Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers found different weapons and explosives caches in a suspected bomb making facility in Al Baytara, Abu Ghraib, just outside of Baghdad Jan 7.
Based upon a tip from a local citizen, the Iraqi Army unit found a cache consisting of more than 5,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition, a sniper rifle, rocket propelled grenade launchers, mortar rounds, rockets, rocket tubes, tank rounds, artillery rounds, an artillery round filled with home made explosives, various components for improvised explosive devices, bomb making materials, grenades, and more than 50 galloons of liquid home made explosives and 120 pound of solid home made explosives.
“The discovery of this cache by the Iraqi Army demonstrates that Al- Qaeda in Iraq still poses a dangerous threat to the security of the Abu Ghraib area, but it also highlights the increasing competence and effectiveness of the Iraqi Army,” said Maj. Jon Pendell, spokesperson for the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment.
The MND-B Soldiers were from Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, ‘Gimlets,’ 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division attached to the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment two.
The cache was recovered by explosive ordnance disposal personnel and destroyed on site.
Stryker soldiers lead new offensive
SINSIL, Iraq – The U.S. military launched a major offensive early Tuesday – with Fort Lewis Stryker troops at the forefront – against one of the largest known redoubts of al-Qaida in Iraq.
About 4,000 U.S. and Iraqi forces, backed by war planes and attack helicopters, swept into the northern Diyala River Valley overnight in the opening salvo of the latest effort to flush the Sunni Arab militant network and its affiliates out of their havens, the U.S. military said.
The effort is led by troops from the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis and from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, a unit previously based at Fort Lewis, according to news reports.
Operation Iron Harvest clears al-Qaeda from northern Iraq
Apparently the 4/2 SBCT portion of Operation Phantom Phoenix is called Operation Iron Harvest.
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers began Operation Iron Harvest to pursue al-Qaeda in Iraq and extremist elements from the region.
The operation, which looks to expand on the successes of Operation Iron Reaper, also focuses on disrupting funding sources and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device networks and denying enemy safe havens in northern Iraq.
“We are pressuring al-Qaeda wherever they go,” said Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, commanding general of Coalition Forces in the north. “Working together, Iraqi and Coalition Forces will rid the north of extremist violence and will pave the way for a secure and safe northern Iraq.”
Operation Iron Harvest is a part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, an overarching operation to defeat extremism throughout all of Iraq.
Iron Harvest operations began with the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and the 5th Iraqi Army Division clearing the Diyala Province of enemy fighters to end insurgent attacks. Operations are now being concentrated in Muqdadiyah.
“The strength of the ISF and CF partnership ultimately provides a benefit for the Iraqi people to move forward,” said Brig. Gen. James Boozer, deputy commanding general for operations, Multi-national Division – North.
U.S. Attack in Iraq Is No Surprise to Many Insurgents
Here's more on Operation Phantom Phoenix from the NYT. Elements of the 2nd Stryker CR are also involved.
By STEPHEN FARRELL, The New York Times
ESAIWID, Iraq — With extraordinary secrecy, and even an information blackout aimed at most of their Iraqi Army comrades, American troops launched a major offensive on Tuesday to drive Sunni insurgents from strongholds in Diyala Province. But many insurgents still managed to flee the first villages the Americans went into, showing just how difficult it is to trap the elusive militants.
Because at least half the insurgents escaped before a previous offensive last June, American planners deliberately kept most Iraqi units in the dark before this one was launched, a tactic that suggests they cannot fully trust the allies who are supposed to pick up more of the fighting as American troops scale back their presence later this year.
The militants may have been tipped by leaks or by the visible movements of troops and machinery that precede any operation.
Michael Yon on Iraq
Michael Yon has just published an entry worth reading called "Moment of Truth in Iraq" where he looks back at events in Iraq during 2007, part of which he spent with the 3/2 SBCT.
UPDATE: The entry also includes information on Yon's upcoming book, which will hopefully document some of his time with the 3/2 SBCT.
Operation Phantom Phoenix
The Long War Journal outlines this major coalition operation, which just kicked off. One of the primary targets will no doubt be the Diyala Province, which is the area of operations for the 4/2 SBCT (see previous article in LA Times). Excerpt:
Despite the recent success in reducing the violence in Iraq, the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq and the Shia extremist terror groups is not over. Coalition and Iraqi forces have launched Operation Phantom Phoenix, a new operation targeting the terror groups throughout Iraq.The scope of Phantom Phoenix is nationwide. The operation is "a series of joint Iraqi and Coalition division- and brigade-level operations to pursue and neutralize remaining al-Qaeda in Iraq and other extremist elements," Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, the commander of Multinational Corps – Iraq stated. "Phantom Phoenix will synchronize lethal and non-lethal effects to exploit recent security gains and disrupt terrorist support zones and enemy command and control."
The specific geographical locations targeted during Phantom Phoenix were not identified. Iraqi and Coalition forces will "pursue al-Qaeda and other extremists wherever they attempt to take sanctuary," Odierno said.
The region northeast of Miqdadiyah will be a primary focus of the operation. Al Qaeda in Iraq has established a "haven" in the region, and has used this base to funnel attacks against Awakening and Concerned Local Citizens groups attempting to establish in the Baqubah region.
The bulk of the recent uptick in violence in Baghdad is also believed to be staged from Diyala province, a senior military officer who asked not to be named told The Long War Journal. Al Qaeda in Iraq killed the leader of the Adhamiyah Awakening in Baghdad on January 7, while suicide and small arms attacks against Awakening groups has risen since al Qaeda's leadership called for a campaign against the anti-al Qaeda forces.
U.S. troops raid Diyala River Valley
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
SENSIL, Iraq -- Under cover of darkness early today, U.S. soldiers crept across a bridge where just days before insurgents had left a chilling warning: a severed human head with a message identifying the victim as a U.S. collaborator scrawled across the forehead with a black marker.
About 4,000 U.S. and Iraqi forces, backed by war planes and attack helicopters, swept into the northern Diyala River Valley overnight Monday in pursuit of insurgents who have made the region one of the most violent in Iraq.
It was the latest in a series of operations in the last year to flush the Sunni militant network Al Qaeda in Iraq and its affiliates out of their havens in Diyala, a province the size of Maryland with more than 1.6 million people.
Banditos Roll Into Iraq With a Bang
Follow the link for photos as well.
By SFC Christina Bhatti, 2nd SBCT Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – The Soldiers from Battery B, “Banditos,” 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii made history, Jan. 2, when they were the first Army unit to fire the 155 mm M777A2 Light Weight Howitzer into the night sky over Baghdad.
“I’m proud to be part of this,” said San German, Puerto Rico native1st Sgt. Ramon Malave, Battery B first sergeant. “My Soldiers are good and they want to fire this system out here.”
The “Banditos” were the first Army unit to receive this cannon system and have trained for 15 months to perfect their skills.
PFC Jason F. Lemke
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, Wis., died Jan. 5 in Ibrahim Al Adham, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
The Strykernews family sends our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. View related articles below.
Hawaii soldiers beginning combat deployment in Iraq
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
The majority of Hawai'i's Stryker brigade soldiers are in place at Camp Taji in Iraq, with an official mission turnover from the 1st Ironhorse Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Hood, Texas, scheduled for Jan. 15.
Approximately 4,000 soldiers and 328 of the eight-wheeled Stryker vehicles are part of the unit that will have duty for at least the next year, and possibly longer, in the area of Taji about 15 miles northwest of Baghdad.
It's the first combat deployment for the fast-strike unit.
MAJ Andrew Olmsted
Although he was not a Stryker solider, I feel compelled to recognize the passing of Maj. Andrew Olmsted. He was killed on January 3, 2008 when his unit was ambushed in Sadiyah, Iraq. Olmsted was assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Maj. Olmsted was one of the original military bloggers ("milbloggers"). He maintained his own website and was a contributor to the group blog Winds of Change, as well as The Rocky Mountain News. For a long stretch he was responsible for compiling the weekly Iraq Report at Winds of Change, which was an invaluable resource for military news. In that capacity I had corresponded with him from time to time to pass along news of interest.
Provided below are a few links with additional information about his life and death. His friends have also posted an entry that Olmsted wrote in the event of his death. Rest in peace Andrew.
- Final Post - Maj. Olmsted's last entry at his personal website.
- Just devastating news - A remembrance by The Rocky Mountain News, for which Olmsted was writing a column during his deployment.
- Andy Olmsted - An entry at the blog Obsidian Wings, where Olmsted also contributed his writings.
Priest awarded Purple Heart
Profile of 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT soldier.
By: BARBARA L. PARSONS, The Post-Searchlight
U.S. Army Spc. Danny Priest of Bainbridge was recently awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained while serving in northern Baghdad, Iraq, on May 26, 2007.
Priest, a 2003 Bainbridge High School graduate and former co-captain of the varsity football team, was presented the medal Friday, Jan. 4, during an awards dinner held the night before the Army All-American bowl in San Antonio, Texas, by Secretary of the Army Pete Geren.
In spite of severe injuries to his right arm, for which he is still receiving physical therapy, he said he is "fighting for a chance to get re-assigned to Iraq" as soon as he is released from medical treatment.
IA, CF Soldiers kill, capture al-Qaeda operatives
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army Soldiers detained nine individuals and killed one enemy combatant during a joint operation in Abu Tamur Jan. 3.
One of the detainees is a known al-Qaeda in Iraq operative wanted by the Iraqi Army for stealing weapons.
Soldiers of Company B and Company C, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., were clearing the village when they were engaged with small arms fire by enemy forces. One U.S. Soldier was wounded. The troops returned fire, killing one enemy combatant.
Miqdadiyah
The Long War Journal has another lengthy analysis of recent coalition operations in the Diyala Province titled, "Seven al Qaeda killed in Miqdadiyah". Excerpt:
The Long War Journal recently identified Diyala province as one of the most dangerous regions in Iraq. Miqdadiyah was singled out as a "haven" for al Qaeda in Iraq. The situation in Diyala has deteriorated so badly that an indefinite provincial-wide curfew has been imposed. "Owing to the bad security situation in Diyala province, the Diyala operations command will impose an indefinite vehicle curfew on Friday all over the province from the morning," provincial military operations chief Brigadier General Raghib al Omeiri announced in a statement late today, AFP reported.Brigadier General James Boozer, the Deputy Commander of Multinational Division North, stated that Miqdadiyah, Baqubah, and Mosul are the most dangerous cities in Iraq, and 60 percent of the violence occurs in the North. "Diyala is a crucial line of communication that the enemy wants to keep and that they were using to go to Baghdad," said Boozer. "That line is now pretty sealed." But the violence continues in Diyala as al Qaeda in Iraq attempts to destroy the Awakening and related Concerned Local Citizens movements fighting the terror groups.
Stryker Brigade Soldiers kill, capture members of a known IED cell
TIKRIT, Iraq – Stryker Brigade Soldiers killed two and detained seven individuals during an operation in Baquba Jan. 1.
Three of the detainees are known members of an improvised explosive device cell operating in the Baquba area.
Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., conducted the raid in the Baquba suburb of Burhitz.
“It was a successful operation in that we captured seven detainees, and when we were engaged by anti-Coalition Forces, our Soldiers returned fire and were able to ward off the attack, killing two of the enemy,” said Capt. Philip Mundweil, commander of HHC, 1-38th Inf. “The Soldiers performed spectacularly in accordance with their training, and the information we gain from the detainees will undoubtedly lead to follow on information that allows us to kill or capture more al-Qaeda in Iraq in the future.”
No Coalition Forces were injured during the raid.
Face of Defense: Combat Medic Places Mission First
By Pfc. Samantha Schutz, American Forces Press Service
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq, Jan. 2, 2008 – Today’s Army is an interdependent network of soldiers who are as unique as the jobs they do, with more than 150 military occupational specialties available to choose from. When a unit deploys to a combat zone, the soldiers within it depend on each other more than ever, along with their occupational knowledge, to keep operations running smoothly.
Army Staff Sgt. Craig Sotebeer, a native of Port Angeles, Wash., and an emergency care medic with Medical Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, said he has numerous duties both in the United States and while deployed, and that he takes all of them seriously.
Iraqi man detained in killing of Iraqi police officer
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi Army Soldiers detained an Iraqi man for questioning Dec. 31 for the murder of an off-duty Iraqi Police officer shot in Baquba. Iraqi Police officer Muhammad Salih Muhammad was killed in the Dec. 28 shooting.
First Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, reported that the alleged murderer was detained by the Iraqi Army and positively identified by a local witness.
Coalition targets al-Qaeda networks in Diyala, Samarra
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 11 suspects Tuesday and Wednesday during operations targeting al-Qaeda in central and northern Iraq.
In continued efforts to disrupt terrorist operations in the northeast Diyala River Valley region, Coalition forces conducted an operation north of Muqdadiyah Tuesday targeting associates of the network operating in the area. Intelligence reports indicate a group of individuals executed a man earlier in the day and were later observed in the target area. Coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists during the operation for their alleged involvement in the network.
