Profile: Bill Roggio
Paul McLeary, who was recently embedded with the 2/25 SBCT, just published a long profile of Bill Roggio of The Long War Journal. In my opinion Bill and his staff provide some of the best reporting and analysis of the war in Iraq. His website is one of the very few that I consistently consider a "must-read". Excerpt:
For the past several years, Roggio, working largely as a one-man bureau, has been at the forefront of reporting on these groups and how they’re being confronted militarily. His process, as he explains it, is to scour English-language media that he has learned to trust in these countries, and vet, amplify, and contextualize what he finds there with his own sources in the U.S. intelligence community, Israel, Iraq, and elsewhere. To this he adds his own expertise. “Bill has what a lot of journalists reporting on the conflict lack: a background in military science and history,” says B. A. Patty, a reporter whom PMI helped send to the Philippines last year. “It’s not just that ‘x happened’—a bomb went off, a sniper rifle was found, etc. It’s what that means… at a strategic or operational level; and in the local situation, to understand what it means tactically.”
Documentary: Bad Voodoo's War
UPDATE 4/2/08: The full video is now available for viewing online.
Along the left-hand side of the site you will likely see an advertisement for the upcoming Frontline documentary on PBS called "Bad Voodoo's War", which is set to air on Tuesday, April 1, 2008. What I didn't know originally was that there is a connection to the Stryker Brigade, specifically the 3/2 SBCT.
At the center of the documentary is SFC Toby Nunn, who is currently serving with a CA National Guard unit in Iraq, but first deployed with the 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT during OIF I & II. According to a recent article Nunn was also good friends with SGT Jacob Demand, who was killed during 3/2's first deployment. Long time readers will also know that SGT Demand was killed in the same incident that wounded Scott Thorne and Travis Majors, whose recoveries have been chronicled on this site. Nunn also chronicled his deployment with the 3/2 SBCT in a book titled Northern Disclosure.
Check your local PBS listings if you're interested in watching the show.
Sadr orders followers to end fighting
By Bill Roggio, The Long War Journal
Six days after the Iraqi government launched Operation Knights’ Charge in Basrah against the Mahdi Army and other Iranian-backed Shia terror groups, Muqtada al Sadr, the Leader of the Mahdi Army, has called for his fighters to lay down their weapons and cooperate with Iraqi security forces. Sadr’s call for an end to the fighting comes as his Mahdi Army has taken serious losses since the operation began.
"Sadr has sent a message to his loyalists urging them to end all armed activities," the Al Iraqiya television channel reported. Sadr "disowned anyone attacking the state institutions or parties' offices and headquarters."
"Based on responsibility towards Iraq and to stem Iraqi bloodshed and to preserve the country's unity and integrity as a prelude to its independence, I call on the people to be up to their responsibility and awareness in order to maintain Iraq's stability," according to a statement issued by Sadr and sent to Voices of Iraq. Sadr has called for the government to free members of the Mahdi Army and the Sadrist Movement captured during recent operations.
[...]
MND-B Soldiers kill 8 criminals in separate operations
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers killed eight criminals in separate operations late March 29 and early March 30.
While on patrol in northeast Baghdad, Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment encountered and engaged a three-man rocket-propelled grenade team, killing all three.
MND-N captures key criminal in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Soldiers with the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division captured a key criminal leader in Diyala province near Sadiyah, Iraq, March 29.
The suspect is believed to be the leader of a criminal cell operating in the Khalis area and is accused of numerous improvised explosive attacks specifically targeting local Iraqis,, and Iraqi and Coalition forces. He is also believed to an explosives expert who leads more than 300 criminals.
Another key criminal was also detained during the operation.
Operational Update
Bill Roggio of The Long War Journal has another detailed overview of the recent clashes between coalition forces and the Mahdi Army. Excerpt:
With the fifth day of fighting in Baghdad, Basrah and the South completed, the Mahdi Army has suffered major losses over the past 36 hours. The Mahdi Army has not faired well over the past five days of fighting, losing an estimated two percent of its combat power, using the best case estimate for the size of the militia.A look at the open source press reports from the US and Iraqi military and the established newspapers indicates 145 Mahdi Army fighters were killed, 81 were wounded, 98 were captured, and 30 surrendered during the past 36 hours.
14 bodies discovered near Muqdadiyah
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – An Iraqi citizen reported a mass grave near Muqdadiyah to Multi-National Division – North Soldiers March 29.
Sons of Iraq and Soldiers of 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment discovered 14 bodies while investigating the site.
The bodies appear to have been at the location for two to six months. Some of the remains showed signs of torture.
The bodies were found 100 meters north of a previous mass grave, in which 37 bodies were discovered March 27.
“Our enemy continues to show why they will be defeated,” said Maj. Mike Garcia, spokesman for the Coalition unit operating in the area. “The local residents in Diyala have realized that working with Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces is far more beneficial to them then working with an insurgency that uses deplorable tactics like torture and murder to achieve its objectives.”
The graves were discovered in an area formerly controlled by al Qaeda in Iraq until they were pushed out during Operation Raider Harvest earlier this year.
SPC Joshua A. Molina
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Joshua A. Molina, 20, of Houston, Texas, died Mar. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.
We offer our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
SPC Gregory B. Rundell
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Gregory B. Rundell, 21, of Ramsey, Minn., died March 26 in Taji Iraq, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones he leaves behind.
Related Articles:
North St. Paul soldier killed by sniper in Iraq - Star Tribune
Schofield-based soldier dies in Iraq - Honolulu Advertiser
Schofield Barracks soldier dies in Iraq - Associated Press
SSG Joseph D. Gamboa
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Joseph D. Gamboa, 34, of Yigo, Guam, died Mar. 25 of wounds suffered when he came under indirect fire in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time.
Operational Update
Bill Roggio at The Long War Journal has a detailed overview of the recent fighting in Iraq. Excerpt:
As the fighting in Basrah is underway, the fighting in Baghdad has intensified. US and Iraqi security forces have clashed with the Mahdi Army in Shia-dominated neighborhoods numerous times in Baghdad since the fighting began on Tuesday. Major fire-fights have broken out in Sadr City, Adhamiyah, Rusafa, New Baghdad, Kadhamiyah, Mansour, and other neighborhoods in northern and eastern Baghdad where the Mahdi Army has a significant presence.US and Iraqi security forces killed 26 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad on March 26. Another 42 Mahdi Army fighters were killed in a series of battles throughout Baghdad on March 27. Eight of the Mahdi Army fighters were killed after they attempted to overtake an Iraqi Army checkpoint. The Iraqi soldiers beat off the attack, losing one soldier in action.
U.S. Armor Forces Join Offensive In Baghdad Against Sadr Militia
It's unclear which unit the Strykers mentioned below are from.
By Sudarsan Raghavan and Sholnn Freeman, Washington Post
BAGHDAD, March 27 -- U.S. forces in armored vehicles battled Mahdi Army fighters Thursday in Sadr City, the vast Shiite stronghold in eastern Baghdad, as an offensive to quell party-backed militias entered its third day. Iraqi army and police units appeared to be largely holding to the outskirts of the area as American troops took the lead in the fighting.
Four U.S. Stryker armored vehicles were seen in Sadr City by a Washington Post correspondent, one of them engaging Mahdi Army militiamen with heavy fire. The din of American weapons, along with the Mahdi Army's AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, was heard through much of the day. U.S. helicopters and drones buzzed overhead.
Mass grave discovered near Muqdadiyah
TIKRIT, Iraq – Acting on a tip from a local Iraqi, Multi-National Division – North Soldiers and Iraqi Policemen discovered 37 bodies buried in a mass grave north of Muqdadiyah, Iraq, March 27.
All the bodies were badly decomposed and appear to have been there anywhere from two to eight months. Some of the bodies showed signs of torture.
The bodies will be moved to a nearby cemetery.
“Those responsible need to be put to justice for these barbaric acts,” said Maj. Dan Meyers, a spokesman for Multi-National Division - North.
24 terrorists killed in Baghdad
2nd SCR soldiers were involved in the operations described below.
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers killed 24 terrorists March 26 in Baghdad.
Soldiers combined with their Iraqi counterparts to conduct precision, intelligence-based operations in the capital. These terrorists and militant elements were increasing their attacks against civilians, the Government of Iraq, and Iraqi and U.S. security forces.
Iraq News
There's quite a bit of news regarding the Iraqi Army's recent operations against militias. Provided below are a few articles of interest.
- Iraqi security forces battle the Mahdi Army - The Long War Journal
- Operational Update: Maj. Gen. Bergner - Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman provides an update on current operations
- Iraqi Army’s Assault on Militias in Basra Stalls - The New York Times
Army Nurse Strives to Make a Difference
By SFC Christina Bhatti, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – She stands out like a sore thumb. Her barely five-foot-tall stature easily dwarfed by the sea of infantrymen. Her body armor and Army combat helmet make her look childlike and her M4 is more than half her size.
“Come here. I want a picture,” said Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldier Capt. Jody Brown, a native of Kingston, N.H.. Her fellow MND-B medic reluctantly poses with her for a picture before they load into Strykers on their way to Batta Village, northwest of Baghdad, for a combined medical effort March 17.
Soldiers capture key individual
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers captured a key individual in Sab al Bour, northwest of Baghdad, March 23.
The Soldiers, an element of the 25th Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, captured the high-value individual who is a suspected terrorist linked to a March 19 explosively-formed projectile attack in Sab al Bour.
“The detention of this individual is a significant blow to the terrorist elements operating in the Sab al Bour area,” said Lt Col. David S. Davidson, the Brigade’s deputy commander.
“His detention means that the people living in this area are safer than they were several days ago, and he can no longer stand in the way of progress toward peace and prosperity for the Iraqi people,” Davidson said.
Warrior News - March 2008
Warrior News is a monthly publication distributed by the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 2/25 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.
- Warrior News - March 2008 Edition (PDF, 5 MB)
Medals go to heroes of Iraq rollover
MICHAEL GILBERT, The News Tribune
More than four years after the fact, the Army got around to decorating two men who saved the lives of five fellow soldiers – and spared the Army’s first Stryker brigade from further calamity on its combat debut in Iraq.
At Fort Lewis on Monday, Staff Sgt. William Rose and Brett Moore were each presented with the Soldiers Medal for heroism for rescuing their comrades from a Stryker that flipped into an irrigation canal near Samarra.
The 4,000 U.S. casualties in Iraq “would likely be 4,005 if not for the heroic actions of our honorees today,” Col. David Funk, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division commander, said at the presentation.
Iraqi Medics on Latest Techniques
By Staff Sgt Arron Schille, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – The medical troop healthcare providers of the Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment conducted a combined medical education on anaphylaxis, a sudden severe whole-body allergy reaction, in late February.
More than 15 medical providers, which included providers from 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army MiTT, and 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment.
IA, NP, Strykers Provide Medical Care in Agur Quf
By Pfc. April Campbell, Multi-National Division - Baghdad
ABU GHRAIB, Iraq – As the villagers approached the opening in the sandy brick walls, they could see the security guards outside waiting to search them before they entered.
Once Iraqi security forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers cleared them for entry, the Iraqis knew that, once inside, they would receive the medical care they so desperately needed.
The treatment offered far outweighed the walk there, and the security search was a minor inconvenience; most understood the measures were to provide them a safe haven in which to heal.
Soldiers Take Time Out to Seek God
By Spc. Andrea Merritt, 1st Sustainment Brigade
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Leaders and Soldiers of the 1st Sustainment Brigade rose early in the morning to join together for the brigade’s first prayer breakfast held at the Cantigny Dining Facility March 18.
At the beginning of the program, guests enjoyed a medley of praise songs from the Praise and Worship Team, a praise team on Taji.
During the event, guests heard an inspirational message from guest speaker Maj. Mark Knox, the chaplain for the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
CF kills 1 suspected AQI in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North
BAQUBA, Iraq – Coalition forces killed one suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq member in an operation on a building where known AQI operatives were believed to be hiding March 21.
“The targeted individual was known to be an expert in the manufacture of house-borne improvised explosive devices and suicide vests,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Mackin, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
PHOTOS: Warriors Host Congressional Delegates
Photos of the 2-25 Warriors can be found here.
Chickens fly the coop, and U.S. troops move in
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
TARMIYAH, IRAQ — Most soldiers call this growing patrol base simply “The Chicken Coop.”
That’s not just colorful military lingo. About a week ago, the base was exactly that. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment arrived here to find feathers, feeding troughs and other chicken waste.
Rough as The Chicken Coop is, it’s an important part of the battalion’s expansion into the rural areas northeast of Taji, said 1st Lt. Calvin Kline, the battalion’s information and operations officer. This area is a longtime refuge for insurgents “dubbed the arms room of al-Qaida.” Prior units saw fierce fighting here. The insurgents even managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter in 2005.
Diyala leaders meet to establish tribal support councils
Multi-National Division – North PAO
SA’AD MUHAMMED, Iraq – Influential leaders from throughout Diyala province gathered at a home in Sa’ad Muhammed, Iraq, March 20 to establish tribal support councils.
More than 1,000 people attended the gathering at the home of Sheik Dura Fayyadh Al-Amiri. Representatives of the central government, the governor, members of the provincial council, the Iraqi Army and Police commanders for the province and sheiks throughout Diyala attended.
Last month the central government approved the creation of tribal support councils throughout Iraq. The purpose of these councils is for the various tribes throughout the nation to have a voice in government to help with reconciliation and stability.
Tool Man Fixes Up Morale
By Staff Sgt Arron Schille, 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment
BAGHDAD - Within the compound housing, the headquarters of the 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment is a small shop made up of four plywood walls and a tarp for a roof. It’s what takes place inside this makeshift shop that helps the Dragoons of the 2SCR accomplish their mission with a little more ease.
Two Dragoon Soldiers; Sgt. 1st Class Chris Russel from Vancouver Wash., assistant operation non-commissioned officer, and Spc. Ross Gray from Lubbock, Texas, a generator mechanic, both of Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2SCR, took an empty spot in the back of the compound and within a week turned it into a self-help workshop for the Soldiers of the regiment to use to better their professional or even personal lives.
Stryker Troops Train ISF to Be Self-sufficient
BAQOUBA, Iraq – As the fifth year anniversary of the war in Iraq approaches, one of the big questions often asked is “Are Iraqi security forces capable of providing for Iraq’s security?” Soldiers of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., are currently working closely with their ISF counterparts in Diyala province to ensure they are.
One of the ways the Stryker troops work to ensure the ISF is self-sufficient is training Iraqi soldiers and policemen on basic skills during a 10-day, “basic-warrior-skills” course.
"Brothers For Life" Remember Slain Soldier
Follow the link for audio as well.
Cami McCormick joined more than a dozen soldiers in Tacoma as they remembered the death, and celebrated the life of their "brother", Army Cpl. Brian L. Chevalier.For one group of young soldiers, most of whom were seniors in high school when the U.S. invaded Iraq, the 5th anniversary is not about numbers, political speeches or military strategy.
More than a dozen troops based in Tacoma, Washington gathered recently to commemorate a very personal milestone of the war.
During their 15 month deployment to Iraq, the Bravo Company, 5/20 Infantry Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade out of Ft. Lewis was stationed first in Mosul, and then moved to Baghdad as the U.S. troop surge got underway.
News Tribune on 5th Anniversary
The News Tribune has a number of items related to the 5th Anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.
- The Iraq conflict five years later: A look back and ahead as war rolls on
- A Fort Lewis & Washington timeline of the Iraq war
- More comments on the 5th anniversary - Views from the paper's readers
- Five years from Tacoma to Iraq - Multimedia presentation posted on YouTube
Five years later, soldiers reflect on casualties
Follow the link for video as well.
By Keith Eldridge, KOMO 4 News
FORT LEWIS -- This base is 6th on the list of military bases with the most casualties in the war in Iraq. But the soldiers at Fort Lewis say they want to make sure each and every soldier is honored for their supreme sacrifice.
When the fighting in Iraq began, it was everyone's hope that the U.S. could get through the conflict with very few soldier deaths, and have it be over and done with quickly.
That was five years and 179 Fort Lewis casualties ago.
Time and again, soldiers, their families and friends have gathered to pay honor to those who've fallen.
On this 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, the soldiers and their commanders say the deaths that happen today are just as hard to take as those back in 2003.
[...]
Paul McLeary Dispatch
Embedded journalist Paul McLeary has published a new dispatch titled, "The Enemy of My Enemy," which features the 2/25 SBCT. Excerpt:
Captain Christopher Loftis, commanding officer of C company, 2/25 in Tarmiya, was trying to feel out a group of Iraqi men who hoped to join the Sons of Iraq movement. The men were standing around a checkpoint that flew the yellow flag of the Anbar Awakening movement at an intersection a few miles outside of town, and he was asking them how things were going.The response was the same each time: “more weapons” to fight the insurgents. Loftis would smile, shake the man’s hand, and move on. It was the usual request, always denied, but given that these men weren’t even under contract to provide security, the plea was a little premature. The captain had come out to this checkpoint in front of a former Saddam-era uranium processing plant not just to meet these men, but the men who organized them, along with about six hundred others who wanted a contract with the American Army to provide security.
Discovery Highlights Recent Counterinsurgency Successes
By Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4/2 SBCT
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Coalition forces discovered a sizable weapons cache in the Tahrir district of Baqubah, Diyala province, Iraq, March 15.
Soldiers of Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered two rocket propelled grenade launchers on the roof of a home during a routine patrol of the area. The house’s rooftop was connected to another home where the Soldiers found a mortar tube, additional RPG rounds and numerous mortar rounds hidden in a barrel buried in the courtyard.
The cache included 23 mortar rounds, four RPG rounds, three RPG launchers, one mortar tube, one AK-47 rifle, and numerous Ak-47 magazines and rounds. The munitions were destroyed in a controlled detonation at a nearby joint combat outpost.
Diyala’s Breadbasket Two Months Later: a Success Story
Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4/2 SBCT
HIMBUS, Iraq – A lot can happen in a few months. Citizens of the northern Diyala River Valley area commonly referred to as the Breadbasket have seen a world of difference in just two months.
For several years, the Breadbasket – an area of roughly 100-square kilometers – had been an al-Qaida in Iraq stronghold and safe haven. There was very little Iraqi army presence and virtually no Iraqi police. AQI had enforced strict Sharia Law and were kidnapping and beheading those who did not comply with their explicit demands.
That all changed beginning Jan. 7 with the start of Operation Raider Harvest – the Diyala province portion of the theater-wide offensive Phantom Phoenix. Soldiers of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division cleared house-by-house, village-by-village throughout the Breadbasket.
Baghdad Troops Sweep Junkyard for Potential Munitions
By Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from 4th Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, along with members of the Iraqi army, began a five-day operation, March 11, near a vital route to secure all possible improvised-explosive device parts from a junkyard.
The goal is to remove munitions available to enemy forces.
“The bad guys tend to go to the junk yard and take a lot of empty rounds along with them,” said Staff Sgt. Ralph Haney, a native of Syracuse, N.Y., who serves as a squad leader for 4th Pltn., Co B. “It makes it easy for them to grab a couple, take them back to their houses, pack them full of explosives and put them back on the road.”
Cache discovery highlights continuing successes in Baqouba
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Coalition forces discovered a large weapons cache in the Tahrir district of Baqouba, Iraq, March 15.
Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division discovered rocket-propelled grenade launchers on the roof of a home while on a routine patrol. The rooftop is connected to another home where the Soldiers found a mortar tube, additional RPG rounds and numerous mortar rounds hidden a barrel buried in the courtyard.
The cache included mortar rounds, RPG rounds, RPG launchers, a mortar tube, an AK-47 rifle, and numerous Ak-47 magazines and rounds. The munitions were destroyed in a controlled detonation at a nearby joint combat outpost.
The resident of the first house was detained by the Soldiers.
Fort Lewis sees growth, change
FORT LEWIS — Before bombs dropped on Baghdad in 2003, Fort Lewis already was on the forefront of change in the Army, developing and fielding a new, cutting-edge combat brigade.
And little around the installation has remained the same since.
Like other military posts, Fort Lewis has adjusted to the demands of fighting two protracted conflicts five years in Iraq and nearing seven in Afghanistan. Those demands include improving the care of wounded soldiers and increasing the number of services and programs available to families to help them through the stress of long periods of separation.
Some changes are unique to Fort Lewis, including an assessment program to ensure that any lingering effects from combat aren't ignored. The war has accelerated the development of the Stryker combat brigades; three of the Army's seven Stryker brigades are based at Fort Lewis.
[...]
Training met with fervor as Strykers prep for war
By Chris Freiberg, Daily News-Miner
The temperature is in the single digits and a recent dusting of snow has covered the icy patches on the ground, making each step a hazardous one.
Spc. Mike Moore, originally from California, has been waiting outside in this weather for a good half hour, yet he is excited.
“We are super motivated, super pumped about this because we’ve been training all week,” he says enthusiastically, pumping his fists. “There’s nothing I would rather be doing than being with my squad leader, with my squad on this beautiful Alaska day.”
SOI lead Soldiers to 2 weapons caches in Tarmiya
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons and munitions during ongoing security and stability operations in Tarmiya, northwest of Baghdad, March 11.
Soldiers from 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, seized the cache during a search. Abna al Iraq, or Sons of Iraq, members provided information to the Soldiers to help them locate the cache.
“The Abna al Iraq are truly stepping forward to ensure the safety of people of Iraq in their area,” said Maj. Al Hing, spokesperson for 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. “They provide safety with tips of weapons caches, allowing Coalition forces to remove the tools of the terrorists.”
The munitions seized included a Dishka machinegun, AK-47 rifles, more than 40 sticks of TNT, a rocket propelled grenade launcher with rounds and fuses, and various improvised explosive device making materials.
The SOI led Soldiers to another cache of homemade explosives in the same area March 10.
An explosive ordnance disposal team performed a controlled detonation at the site.
Ex-Fort Lewis chief predicts tough spring for U.S. troops
Dubik was the top commander at Ft. Lewis until his recent assignment in Iraq.
FORT LEWIS, Pierce County — For three years, thousands of Army soldiers from this Western Washington post patrolled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. More than 40 lost their lives.
With the security situation improved, the last of three Fort Lewis Stryker brigades withdrew in mid-2006, but during the past year, as U.S. forces clamped down on al-Qaida activities farther south, Mosul has once again emerged as a violent center of insurgent activities, a key U.S. commander said on Thursday.
The experience in Mosul offers a cautionary note as the U.S. military nears the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war amid a drawdown of American troops.
CPL Jose A. Paniagua-Morales
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Jose A. Paniagua-Morales, 22, of Bell Gardens, Calif., died March 7 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Samarra, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers.
Related Articles:
Fort Lewis Stryker soldier dies from wounds in Iraq war - The News Tribune
Paul McLeary Dispatches
Embedded journalist Paul McLeary has two new dispatches featuring soldiers from the 2/25 SBCT.
GH man trades in his paintbrush for Army rifle
Found this article via Mike Gilbert's blog.
Enlisting in the U.S. Army was not a decision that came lightly to Ezra Suko. In early February, the 26-year-old painter signed up for a three-year tour in the infantry with his 19-year-old brother, Elijah. As Suko tells it, he had been considering entering the military since August 2005. That was when his brother-in-law, Gabe DeRoo, was killed while serving in Iraq.
“The way he lived … he was an inspiration to us; definitely an inspiration,” Suko said. “I never thought of going in to the military before (his death).”
For most of his life, Suko did not see himself as the kind of man who would fight a war. A son of Discovery Baptist Church Pastor Mark Suko and a painter since he was 14, he described himself as “not the type to start conflicts.”
While husband deploys, Army wife pens book
An Army wife has written a book chronicling her experiences during her husband’s 16-month deployment to Iraq.
Michelle Cuthrell was 23 years old and 11 weeks pregnant when her husband, then-1st. Lt. Matthew Cuthrell, of 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, deployed to Iraq. In August 2006, as the soldiers prepared to return to Fairbanks, Alaska, their tour was extended by four months.
Her book, “Behind the Blue-Star Banner,” documents her journey until her husband’s long-awaited homecoming in December 2006. [...]
For more information or to buy the book, visit www.behindthebluestarbanner.com/home.html.
‘Operation Warrior Wake Up’ Brings Taste of Hawaii to Iraq
By Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Every morning, thousands of Soldiers wake up to a steaming cup of “Joe” – whether it's black as midnight or mostly cream and sugar, it's part of their daily routine.
In association with the Hawaii Gathering of Eagles organization, coffee farmers from the big island of Hawaii launched “Operation Warrior Wake Up” to provide Hawaii-based Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom a little taste of the isles.
Senior NCO Keeps Promise to Daughter
By Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Keeping a promise can sometimes be an insurmountable task, especially when a person is thousands of miles away; but one Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldier made sure he'd keep a promise he made to his daughter back in Hawaii.
Before the Soldiers of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, received notice of deployment to Iraq, Sgt. Maj. Berk Parsons, a Fayetteville, N.C., native, told the eldest of his three children, 16-year-old Emily, that he'd participate alongside her for a school run, which took place March 4.
Photos: 4/2 SBCT
Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune points us to an large album of photos featuring the 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT.
Paul McLeary Dispatch
Paul McLeary has published another dispatch titled, "Part II: The Suicide Bomber," from his time with the 2/25 SBCT. Excerpt:
Within thirty minutes of the blast, two Army helicopters actually landed on the small patch of land inside the base to ferry the most badly wounded Iraqis to an Army hospital, a risky move that impressed Cox, and one he hoped impressed the Iraqis, as well. It showed the Iraqis, he believes, that while groups like al Qaeda want to sow death, the Americans are willing to risk their lives to save Iraqi lives.The attack came at a time of increasing al Qaeda attacks on Sons of Iraq checkpoints, a gambit that doesn’t seem to be accomplishing its objective of getting Iraqis to quit the groups.
Soldier Inspired By Grandfather's WWII Service
By Spc. Brian Pierce, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Pvt. Edward Robinson, a native of Saint Albans, W. Va., had his grandfather in mind when he joined the Army in 2007.
Robinson's late grandfather, a World War II veteran, served in the Army as an infantryman. That service is what inspired Robinson to follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
"When you think of the Army, you think of the Infantry," said Robinson.
Robinson is currently assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment "Wolfhounds," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad. He is a member of the Brigade's tactical reserve which rapidly responds to significant activities and events within the brigade's area of operations.
Inspiration from one set of heroes to another
By SCOTT FONTAINE, The News Tribune
“God bless you and come home safe” reads the message on a red T-shirt from the Fire Department in Lincoln, Neb.
“Thank you for your support” is scribbled on a shirt from the Spokane Fire Department.
“Hang in there, stay strong and be safe,” wrote a person on a shirt from Millerton, N.Y.
“Thank you for serving the best country ever!” says the writing on a shirt from San Antonio.
These shirts – and about 25,000 others – will soon head to U.S. and Canadian troops overseas as part of the Hero To Hero program, which had a PackOut event Saturday at Camp Murray.
Stryker Brigade hones skills at Gap
By BRAD RHEN, Lebanon Daily News
INDIANTOWN GAP — More than 500 National Guardsmen from the 56th Stryker Brigade are at Fort Indiantown Gap participating in a weeklong exercise that is the largest and, according to the brigade’s commander, the most significant since the brigade converted to a Stryker brigade three years ago.
Known as “Warfighter,” the exercise brings together the brigade’s headquarters and members of the various units within the brigade as well as about 70 civilian contractors who would deploy with the brigade.
Paul McLeary Dsipatch
Paul McLeary has published a new dispatch on his site from his time embedded with the 2/25 SBCT. It's called, "Part I: The Farmhouse." Excerpt:
“Looks like most of this stuff has been placed here pretty recently,” Captain Jeffrey Higgins observed as we walked a reed line along a canal with Sergeant Jamie Giles, inspecting a weapons cache 1st platoon found there earlier that morning. The two noted that the jugs of homemade explosives, 155mm and 120mm projectiles, blasting caps, and command wire (commonly used for IEDs) looked relatively clean, meaning they hadn’t been sitting outside for very long. They also found a Soviet DSHK (“Dishka”) rifle, a mounted heavy machine gun that can burn through several hundred rounds a minute, which is a pretty heavy-duty piece of weaponry to have lying around.
MND-B Soldiers seize weapons cache in Tarmiyah
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons and munitions during ongoing operations in Tarmiyah, located north of Baghdad, March 8.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, seized the weapons cache near Joint Security Station Tarmiyah.
The munitions seized included SK5 rockets, PG7 rockets, type-69 rockets, 160 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, projectiles, Iraqi hand grenades, and various other munitions and weapons.
An explosive ordnance disposal team performed a controlled detonation at the cache site.
Taji Rail Lines Open for First Time Since 2003
Soldiers from 2-11 FA, 2/25 SBCT participated in this operation - click through for a nice photo.
By Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 25th Infantry Division Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI — The railroad lines of the Taji Qada, north of Baghdad, have laid dormant since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, but as a result of the efforts of Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, the first train let loose a thunderous blast of its horn March. 5, as it slowly rolled through the gates of Camp Taji.
"This particular train … is part of a proof of principle,” said Cpt. James Kerns, a Harrison County, Ky., native, who serves as the assistant operations officer for the Base Defense Operations Command (BDOC), Multi-National Division – Baghdad. "(This mission was executed) to facilitate the Iraqi railroad infrastructure improvement so they can, in the future, utilize the train and rail system to carry goods."
Fort Lewis pays tribute to two Stryker corporals
By MICHAEL GILBERT, The News Tribune
Two fallen Stryker infantrymen were remembered Wednesday as all-action types who enjoyed their dangerous work almost as much as they loved their wives and their daughters. Fort Lewis paid its respects to Cpls. Chad D. Groepper and Luke S. Runyan, both 21, who were killed Feb. 17 by enemy small-arms fire near Abu Waih, in Diyala province, Iraq.
Fellow soldiers said the pair had recently re-enlisted and thrived under the pressures of combat as members of their battalion’s reconnaissance platoon. But they also showed pictures and spoke often of their little girls.
MND-B Soldiers discover cache
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
TAJI, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, discovered a munitions cache on a routine patrol March 3.
The Soldiers found 20 artillery rounds of various calibers; four AK-47s; 90 artillery fuses; six motor rockets; three anti tank mines; six hand grenades; 1,000 7.62mm rounds; a rocket propelled grenade; 20 anti-aircraft rounds; five anti-tank rocket rounds and a rifle west of Taji.
The weapons and munitions were consolidated and controlled by explosive ordnance disposal personnel for disposal.
“Our Soldiers continue to seek out and destroy the tools of the terrorists,” said Maj. Al Hing, spokesperson for the 2nd SBCT. “Finding these caches is hard work and their work is paying off in two ways. The tools of terrorism are going away and the people of Iraq are safer today. Our Soldiers work hard every day to make Iraq a safer place.”
This is part of Operation Phantom Phoenix the on going efforts operation to kill or capture al Qaeda in Iraq and Shia/Sunni criminals to deny them rest and sanctuary in Baghdad and the surrounding rural areas.
PEO Soldier: Modernization at Good Value
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 04, 2008) -- The Army is now modernizing what Soldiers wear, carry and fight with at a rate faster than at any time in history.
“Modernization is occurring at mach speed in the Soldier’s world,” said Brig. Gen. Robert M. Brown, Program Executive Officer, Soldier, and commanding general, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, during a session at the Association of the United States Army’s Institute of Land Warfare Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Paul McLeary Dispatch
Paul McLeary, embedded with the 2/25 SBCT, has published a new dispatch on his site titled, "Forgiveness for the greater good." Excerpt:
After a few days at combat outpost Courage embedded with C company, I was able to hitch a ride a little bit further north and west to another company-sized combat outpost, named Warrior (it has since been renamed combat outpost Ibrahim Bin Ali—IBA for short—which is the name of a town a few kilometers south of the base.) Manned by the men of company B of the of the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, in many respects Courage and IBA are similar in setup and in the Spartan lives the soldiers live. They’re each ringed by high blast walls that enclose a large farmhouse converted into a headquarters, the soldiers live in large communal tents, and each outpost has a mobile mess unit for hot meals, a couple of shower and toilet trailers, and a handful of computers for Internet use and phones to call home. In total, it’s maybe two city blocks large, if that. Also like Courage, IBA is situated out in the flat farmlands of rural Iraq, where farms are cut into squares by irrigation canals overgrown with high reeds, making excellent hiding places for insurgents to hide weapons and explosives.
General Petraeus Describes Factors Affecting Iraq Assessment
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD — The top military commander in Iraq gave some insight yesterday into what he will consider as he prepares to report to the president and Congress in April on the way ahead.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Force - Iraq, spoke with reporters accompanying Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is visiting the country.
The security trend lines all are favorable, the general said. “Attacks have continued to go down. We’ve had a five-month period consistently of a level of attacks we’ve not seen since spring of 2005,” he said. “This past week was the fourth-lowest since October 2004.”
Alaska-based Stryker troops are able to hone more skills in Daegu
By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
DAEGU AIR BASE, South Korea — When the troops of an Alaska-based Army Stryker unit roll out to the field, the subzero cold of their home turf often prevents them from doing more than a fraction of the training they want and need.
So when they wrapped up three weeks of combat training in South Korea on Monday, soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment said they were more than satisfied with the chances they got to practice for combat. They’re stationed at Fort Wainwright as part of the 25th Infantry Division.
IA, CF Go ‘Fox Hunting’ in Diyala
There are 11 related images to view if you follow the link below.
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
ABU KHAMIS, Iraq – The Iraqi army, with minimal help from coalition forces, is currently clearing al-Qaida in Iraq from one of their last remaining strongholds in “restive” Diyala province -- the area between Baghdad and Baqubah east of the Diyala River.
Operation Fox Hunting began Feb. 27 with elements of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division providing support as the Iraqi army cleared Al-Sayahi (the Tourist Road) and another north-south road father east that had both been closed for more than a year due to heavy seeding of improvised explosives by AQI.
Massachusetts Soldier Proud to Be Part of War Effort
By Staff Sgt. J.B. Jaso III, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Eight-months ago, Pfc. Steven Murphy, a native of Westford, Mass., married his wife Sarah, in front of family and friends. Now he is thousands of miles away from his wife, and serves with Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment “Wolfhounds,” 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“I was sick of not being a part of the war efforts,” the 22-year-old infantryman said.
He joined the Army in 2007 to deploy.
Soldiers, Airmen Build Better Living Conditions in Iraq
ZAGINAYAH, Iraq – Take an abandoned schoolhouse, add some beds, guard towers, recreation area and chow hall … and what do you get? A combat outpost Soldiers operate to keep al-Qaida in Iraq operatives from reentering a former terrorist stronghold near Zaginayah, Iraq.
Leaders from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., have made major improvements during the past three months for the morale and welfare of their Soldiers who live at the COP Zaginayah fulltime.
Hawaii is ideal for Stryker unit according to the Army
By Gregg K. Kakesako, Honolulu Star Bulletin
Despite the insistence by local environmental groups that Fort Lewis is a better location than Schofield Barracks, Army planners say there is no room at the Washington state base for another 4,000-member Stryker Brigade Combat Team and their family members.
Fort Lewis was the home of the Army's first combat unit built around the 320 eight-wheeled, 19-ton vehicles. Opponents like environmental lawyer David Henkin believe the Washington facility has the necessary room and its location near an Air Force transport base makes it a better choice than Schofield Barracks.
The Desert Raider - March 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 - March 2008 Edition (PDF, 3.9 MB)
Iraqi Sheik turns in weapons cache
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – A local Tarmiya sheik turned in a weapons cache Feb. 29 to Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, northwest of Baghdad.
The cache consisted of 41 artillery shells of various calibers, artillery casings filled with home made explosives and detonating cord, 13 metal containers filled with home made explosives, seven mortar shells, two missile warheads, three rocket warheads, two jugs of nitric acid and seven detonating fuses.
“This is a convincing commitment to show the forward progress for stability of all people in Iraq,” said Lt Col. Thomas Boccardi, commander of 1st Bn. 14th Inf. Regt. “All the tribes from the Tarmiya area see stability and peace, as is evident by turning in this cache.”
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team arrived at the site and secured the cache.
Baquba area Sons of Iraq agree to return to their duties
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – Abna al-Iraq or Sons of Iraq from Baquba agreed to return to their duties following a meeting Feb. 29 with the provincial government, Diyala Operations commander, and Coalition forces at the Diyala Governance Center.
“We discussed the situation in detail today and all parties agreed that the Sons of Iraq and their leaders would return to work,” said Lt. Col. John Steele, deputy commander for the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division.
Keeping Hot Guns Firing
Click through for a few photos as well.
By Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2/25 SBCT PAO
CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers rely on multiple factors out in the field, ranging from air support by attack helicopter crews to fire support from artillery crews.
The task of keeping the big guns shooting, however, falls on the shoulders of three soldiers from Company B, 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, MND-B.
The maintenance shop, run by Sgt. Vincent Dulude, a Zanesville, Ohio, native, who serves as a fire control repairman with Co. B, takes on repair missions ranging from the Army’s newest piece of artillery – the M-777 Howitzer – to some of its oldest weapons, like the M-2 .50-caliber machine gun.
Promises of Better Security in Diyala’s Countryside
The 3rd Squadron, 2nd SCR is incorrectly identified as being part of the 4/2 SBCT in the following article - just FYI.
By Stephen Farrell, New York Times
DIYALA PROVINCE, Iraq - “Tell them we are staying,” ordered Lt. Col. Rod Coffey, nodding toward the Iraqis clustered nervously in the driveway beside his armored Stryker vehicle.
“Inshallah,” came the villagers’ reply, an Arabic expression meaning “God willing.”
Their wariness was understandable.
House OKs naming post office in honor of Harkins
By Harris Blackwood, Gainesville Times
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to name the Cleveland post office in honor of Sgt. Jason Robert Harkins, who was killed in Iraq.
Harkins was a member of the U.S. Army, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division of Fort Lewis, Wash.
While serving his second tour of duty in Iraq, Harkins, 25, was killed on May 6, 2007, by a roadside bomb, along with five other members of his platoon, during combat operations in Baqouba, Iraq.
