Two suspected AQI members detained in Diyala
DIYALA, Iraq – Coalition forces detained two individuals suspected of being members of Al Qaeda in Iraq’s Diyala province Nov. 28.
The two men were detained while Coalition forces were conducting a routine combat patrol through the local community of Sahker and positively identified the men as suspected AQI members.
Custody of the men was later remanded over to local Iraqi Police for detention and subsequent investigation. “This capture marks a definitive victory in the ongoing fight against Al Qaeda in Iraq,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman, Maj. Chris Hyde.
“Coalition forces will continue to assist provincial Iraqi Security Forces as they hunt down, apprehend, and fairly adjudicate members of AQI and other terrorist organizations in the region.”
Influential Sons of Iraq leader returns to Baqubah
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – A senior member of the Sons of Iraq returned to Baqubah after the Iraqi government released him from custody in Baghdad Nov. 28.
Sheikh Abdel-Karim Salih al-Mujamai, aka Abu Ali, arrived at combat outpost Tahrir near downtown Baqubah, Friday afternoon and was met by members of his tribe and extended family.
Iraqi Security Forces originally arrested Abu Ali in late October under charges of violating Iraqi Anti-Terrorism Law for alleged activities more than two years ago. Abu Ali has since reconciled under a Coalition forces contract and served as a local leader for the Sons of Iraq in Diyala.
“The release of Sheikh Abu Ali is completely legitimate and well within all related, established, and enforced Government of Iraq legal processes,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman, Maj. Chris Hyde.
The decision to release Sheikh Abu Ali is a strong statement of the Iraqi government’s commitment to reconciliation and is a very positive development on the eve of registration of the Sons of Iraq in Diyala province.
The Government of Iraq is preparing to assume responsibility for the Sons of Iraq in Diyala province and individual registration as part of the formal transfer begins Dec. 1.
MND-B Soldiers detain 8 suspected criminals
Multi-National Division – Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained eight wanted criminals throughout Baghdad Nov. 27-28.
Task Force 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment attached to 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, captured a suspected criminal at approximately 1:10 a.m., Nov. 27 after receiving a tip from an informant on a suspect’s house located in Sadr City’s Thawra neighborhood.
The detainee is an alleged Special Groups member, IED emplacer, and participant in terrorist activities. The individual was taken to the joint security station in Sadr City, and then later to Taji detainee holding area.
At approximately 9 a.m., Soldiers from Company D, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND – B working with 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, detained five suspected criminals in the Adhamiyah district of northern Baghdad.
The five individuals are suspected of involvement in a recent string of improvised explosive device attacks and assassination attempts in eastern Baghdad.
On Nov 28 at approximately 1:40 a.m,, Soldiers from the 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, MND – B detained a known criminal in North Baghdad’s Tarmiyah joint security station. The detainee is responsible for emplacing IEDs on military routes. The individual was later transported to Camp Taji for detention.
MND-B Soldiers seize weapons, munitions
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons caches throughout Baghdad Nov. 27
Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, MND-B discovered a weapons cache in Nasr Wa Salam, west of Baghdad at approximately 12:15 p.m.
The cache consisted of four cases of 20 mm anti-aircraft ammunition and three empty missile canisters. The cache was collected by the explosive ordnance team and transported to a joint security station to be safely disposed of at a later time.
Members from the Iraqi Army from 4st Battalion, 22th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division working with Soldiers from 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, found a weapons cache in Southwest Kadamiyah at approximately 1:30 p.m.
The cache consisted of two 73 mm rockets, four 57 mm projectiles and 10 blocks of TNT.
“Iraqi Security Forces with the little assistance from Coalition forces are taking a stand against terrorist and extremist who wish to harm the Iraq people,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Infantry Division. “They continue to demonstrate their dedication and professionalism creating a secure Baghdad.”
1LT William K. Jernigan
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
1st Lt. William K. Jernigan, 35, of Doraville, Ga., died Nov. 24 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters Company, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and fellow soldiers.
Related:
Fairbanks-based Stryker soldier dies in Iraq - Daily News Miner
Fort Wainwright soldier remembered for sense of humor, loyalty - Daily News Miner
Mass Grave Found In Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO
Diyala, Iraq – A mass grave site was found in Diyala Province Nov 26. The 1st Battalion, 24th Striker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division received a report from a local contractor of a mass grave.
The 23 bodies appear to have been deceased for about a year and a half.
Local Iraqi Police will hand over the remains to respective families for proper burial.
Leaders discuss new change for Sons of Iraq in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GABE, Iraq – Coalition force leaders Brig. Gen. James Boozer, Brig. Gen. James Nixon and Col. Burt Thompson, along with Iraqi Army Diyala Operations Commander Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Kareem Khalaf and the 5th Iraqi Army Division Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Bayaz Ahmed Ramaden, conducted a rehearsal and meeting to discuss the future of the Sons of Iraq at Forward Operating Base Gabe in Diyala, Iraq, Nov. 26.
The main focus of the meeting was to ensure the smooth transition of the SoI program with new leadership. Currently the SoI program is managed by Coalition forces; but with the new plan, the Government of Iraq will soon assume responsibility for this program.
Backing the new plan, Khalaf said, “We must ensure we get the right people for the job.”
In order to implement a smooth transition, Coalition forces and Iraqi Forces have implemented a plan to register each member of the SoI. CF will provide teams for securing the registration sites, said Capt. Johnny Sutton, assistant operations officer for 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
“We’re going to conduct registration in the upcoming month of December and continue registration for the SoI every day except for Fridays,” said Sutton. “We have constructed a plan over a period of time now and starting next month we will implement it.”
Military Technology
FOB Tacoma linked to a story from the Army Times that discusses new technology the 56th SBCT will be taking with them to Iraq. He also features a small robotic vehicle the 3/2 SBCT has been training with.
Stryker Soldier Recovers
The Northwest Guardian profiles a 3/2 SBCT soldier who is finally easing back into family life after two difficult deployments.
Looking back, Andrew can see clearly how important family was to his recovery.“I didn’t want to talk to anybody, but when you have a wife and kids, you have no choice,” Andrew said. “They’re right there, 24/7. So it makes it easier, because you have to interact.”
Andrew began telling his wife about his experiences in Iraq.
“It’s a lot easier to be able to talk to your spouse about things that you don’t tell your friends,” Andrew said. “You have that bond that’s greater than a friend or a best friend, because you share everything intimately.”
2nd SCR Redeployment Ceremony
Stars & Stripes has a nice article covering the official welcome home ceremony held by the 2nd SCR. I wish there had been more media coverage (military and civilian) of this brigade during its deployment - they essentially flew under the radar.
VILSECK, Germany — Twenty-three wounded warriors helped uncase the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment’s colors during a welcome-home ceremony at Vilseck on Tuesday.Some were on crutches, one was in a wheelchair and others had less visible injuries. All were given loud cheers and applause as they helped leaders uncase the colors in front of a packed crowd inside the Memorial Fitness Center.
Second Cav commander Col. John RisCassi told his men their service during 15 months in Iraq was nothing short of remarkable.
Weapons caches found during cordon and search
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – Iraqi Police uncovered two weapons caches while conducting a cordon and search in the Nidah Region in the Diyala province of Iraq Nov. 20.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., IPs discovered two caches consisting of materials for making improvised explosive devices.
Following the search, Coalition forces reduced 260 pounds of home-made explosives, 200 feet of detonation cord, 10 blasting caps, four anti-personnel mines and two unknown fuses on scene.
“Our finding of this cache will certainly make a dent on terrorists’ activities and their efforts in the area,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman, Maj. Chris Hyde. “Residents should be able to sleep a little better tonight knowing that Coalition and Iraqi Forces have removed yet another threat to their daily life.”
MND-B Soldiers seize weapons, munitions
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Iraqi soldiers and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons caches throughout Baghdad Nov. 24.
Iraqi Army soldiers serving with 1st Battalion, 25th Brigade, 17th Iraq Army Division and Soldiers of Company D, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armor Division, discovered a weapons cache south of Baghdad at 9:30 a.m. The cache included 11 artillery rounds, 34 57 mm rockets, two boxes of 25 mm and 30 mm ammunition, a can of pellets, two spools of TNT and 44 various artillery rounds.
At 10 a.m. soldiers serving with 1st Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraq Army Division received a tip leading them to a cache in Karkh. They found two mortars, a fuse and an illumination round hidden in a trash pile in front of an apartment building. The IA turned the cache over to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
At approximately noon, Soldiers serving with 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division found weapons north of Baghdad. The cache consisted of two anti-aircraft guns with two additional barrels and a tripod.
Soldiers serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, received a cache north of Baghdad at approximately 7:30 p.m. IA soldiers turned over a weapons cache that included seven machine guns, six rifles, seven rocket-propelled grenade launchers, six RPG warheads, 15 RPG boosters, two RPG sights, 30 half-loaded AK-47 magazines, a mortar sight, 1,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, ten MK-19 rounds, seven sticks of professional grade TNT, a feed sack full of TNT sticks, 300 meters of detonation cord, two improvised explosive devices, a remote control device, 20 hand grenades, nine 57 mm projectiles, various rocket components and a bag of fuses.
“Throughout the Baghdad province, MND-B Soldiers, in full partnership with Iraqi Security Forces are taking weapons and munitions out of hands of terrorists and extremists in order to protect the Iraqi people,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Infantry Division. “Together, with the [Government of Iraq] and ISF, we will deny the enemy safe haven and rest, encourage displaced Iraqis to return, and transition the [Sons of Iraq] leading up to successful provincial elections.”
Strykers Returning to Vilseck
Stars & Stripes has a nice article about a welcome home dinner for the 2nd SCR hosted by the city of Vilseck.
GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — The city of Vilseck welcomed 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment leaders home from Iraq during a formal dinner at Dagstein castle Sunday.Uniformed Stryker soldiers and well-dressed spouses mingled with local community leaders and German soldiers before sitting down to a hearty meal at the 1,200-year-old castle in downtown Vilseck.
Vilseck mayor Hans-Martin Schertl told the leaders he regards members of the unit as citizens of his town.
Transfer of Authority in Diyala
A reader sent an article from the Christian Science Monitor regarding the Diyala Province, which is where the 1/25 SBCT is operating now.
BALAD RUZ, Iraq - The US is actively transferring ownership of Iraq's troubled Diyala Province, using a tough-love approach to force Iraq to take on greater control ahead of any deal that would put limits on the American military next year.From handing over irrigation projects to cutting funding in favor of a more cumbersome Iraqi payment system, the strategy amounts to the de facto first steps of withdrawal.
"Our big thing is getting Americans to stop doing things and get the Iraqi government to do them," says US Army Staff Sgt. Dave Schlicher, a civil affairs team leader who has worked in the towns along the Iran border for months.
MND-B Soldiers find hidden weapons during patrols
Multi-National Division – Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized caches in Baghdad Nov. 19 and 20.
While conducting a dismounted patrol northwest of Baghdad, Soldiers from Company C, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a small cache hidden in a field at approximately 11:45 a.m. Nov. 19.
Their find consisted of three 122 mm high explosive rounds. An explosive ordnance detachment collected the rounds for disposal.
MND-B Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div., located a weapons cache containing 22 57 mm rounds at approximately 9:30 a.m. Nov. 20.
Later that day, Troop C of the same cavalry squadron found another cache buried underground in Taji at approximately 1 p.m.
This cache consisted of nine grenades of various types, 50 linked 5.56 mm rounds and 100 linked 7.56 mm rounds.
New bridge to be built in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – A groundbreaking ceremony took place in the Diyala province of Iraq Nov. 17 in order to observe the beginning of construction on a new bridge adjacent to the town of Muqdadiyah.
Connecting the communities of Jaq Jaq and Muqdadiyah, the bridge will enable local farmers to commerce across a local canal in order to sell their goods in both towns.
“The beginning of this construction project will make an enormous impact on both communities,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman Maj. Chris Hyde. "This new beginning should support rapid economic development for many people; when complete, the bridge will be a shining beacon of progress for the people of Diyala.”
Diyala province holds second SoI transfer meeting
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – The Government of Iraq committed to the Sons of Iraq in a second transfer to GoI control briefing in Diyala province at Forward Operating Base Normandy outside of Muqdadiya Nov. 19.
The Iraqi Ministry of Defense’s Reconciliation councilman, Gen. Muthrir Mawla, Iraqi Army and Coalition force leaders from across Iraq attended to show their support for this important event.
The meeting began with a welcome from Brig. Gen. James Boozer, deputy commander of Multi- National Division – North. Boozer thanked the SOI members for attending and complemented them for their service. Salim Kareem, deputy commander of Diyala’s Iraqi Army element and headquartered at Baqubah’s Diyala Operations Center, praised the attending SoI representatives and thanked them for their service and sacrifice. He also addressed the upcoming transfer of SOI to GoI control in January 2009 and eventual goal of transitioning the SoI into ISF positions or other meaningful jobs,“We will help you to succeed,” said Kareem.
Kareem will have the task of working closely with the CF element in the province, the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, to successfully register and transfer all area SoI from CF to GoI control.
1/25 SBCT Operations
Stars & Stripes has a nice article describing some recent operations by the 1/25 SBCT in the Diyala Province.
BOWADISH, Iraq — Once part of the breadbasket of Diyala province, the flat, dusty plain surrounding this ghostly collection of mud huts sprouts brown, scrubby stubble and little else these days. The lifeless soil mirrors the town, empty since a terror campaign by insurgents chased residents away more than a year ago. [...]Many houses remain rigged, and many towns are abandoned. U.S. forces have yet to do a thorough inventory, so it’s unclear how many houses in towns like Bowadish may be booby-trapped. Troops have adjusted to the landscape and treat entering houses with much more care than they used to, said 1st Lt. Thomas Maney, of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
"It definitely slows down the pace of your operations because you can’t just go in and clear a house — you have to approach it very methodically and systematically," he said.
Update on Injured Stryler Soldier
A local paper has an update on SSG Ralph Franklin Frankie Steward Jr., a 1/25 SBCT soldier who was seriously injured earlier this month. Our thoughts are with him and his entire family.
A Highland County soldier sustained life-threatening injuries while serving in Iraq, family members of the soldier told The Times-Gazette in Hillsboro Tuesday.Army Staff Sgt. Ralph Franklin “Frankie” Steward Jr., 37, lost his right leg from the knee down, injured his left leg, shattered bones in both arms and suffered a bruised lung and damage to his right eye, according to his aunt, Carolyn Goins. [...]
She said Steward, a Hillsboro High School graduate, is now in good condition. He is surrounded by his wife Amy Steward, his parents Ralph and Jennifer Steward and his brother Michael Steward.
Tips, turn-ins get weapons off Baghdad streets
Multi-National Division – Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces continue to make the streets of Baghdad safe by seizing weapons and munitions Nov. 17.
An Iraqi citizen turned a cache of weapons to Iraqi Police serving at Combat Outpost Falahat at approximately 11 a.m.
An explosive ordnance team assessed the munitions consisting of three 120 mm rounds, five detonators, two 120 mm high explosive rounds, three warheads and 150 7.62 mm rounds
At approximately 11:15 a.m., Soldiers serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found two rifles and a mortar round north of Baghdad.
Hammer Co. Transitions to Over-watch
By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis and Spc. Curtis Riffel, 2/25 SBCT
JOINT SECURITY STATION HOR AL BASH, Iraq - The government of Iraq didn’t let their Sons of Iraq members down as payday operations at Joint Security Station Hor al Bosh, northwest of Baghdad, kicked off, Nov. 10.
Another page in Iraqi history was written as the first of 343 payments of 354,000 Iraqi Dinar went to Sons of Iraq members in the Hor al Bosh area. Prior to the payday activity, coalition forces made equal payments of $300 to each SoI.
Soldiers from Company B “Hammer,” 52nd Infantry attached to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment “Strykehorse,” 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, were responsible overall for scrubbing rosters, drawing money and then paying it out.
1/25 SBCT Photos
One of our readers kindly forwarded links to two photo albums at DVIDS featuring 1/25 SBCT soldiers.
Admittedly we don't do a very good job of linking to every photo of Stryker soldiers at DVIDS, but you can always jump over there and do a quick search to view the latest. They also have a nice catalog of videos as well.
Buzzell on CNN
Colby Buzzell, a former 3/2 SBCT soldier who gained notoriety for his blog and subsequent book, appears in the following story on CNN.com (includes video). I wish I had taken a screen shot b/c for a brief time the article was the featured story on the CNN homepage.
When U.S. Army machine gunner Colby Buzzell began blogging about his combat experiences from a military base in Mosul, Iraq, he wasn't looking for attention or trouble. Buzzell just wanted a way to chronicle what he saw and did and felt during the Iraq war.But his visceral, first-hand accounts were a bracing antidote to dry news reports and bloodless Pentagon news releases. In the first major war of the Internet age, Buzzell and other soldier bloggers in Iraq offered readers around the world unfiltered, real-time glimpses of an ongoing conflict. [...]
Since leaving Iraq, Buzzell collected his wartime blog posts and journal entries into "My War," which was published in 2005. Excerpts from his Iraq blog also appeared in the Oscar-nominated documentary "Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience."
The war cost Buzzell his marriage and left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, a diagnosis that helped him avoid being redeployed to Iraq last spring. Now 32, he contributes regular features to Esquire magazine and hopes to write another book, the contents of which he's not ready to discuss.
Soldiers Become Citizens
Soldiers from the 3/2 SBCT and 5/2 SBCT were among those granted US citizenship at a ceremony yesterday.
They entered the room "green card soldiers" from nearly every branch of the armed forces, men and women serving the United States in wartime though they were not U.S. citizens.Within an hour, the platoon-size foreign legion of 41 was leaving with relief, smiles and in the arms of family and friends, having taken an oath and validation as newly minted U.S. citizens.
A Cuban man and a South Korean woman, a Kenyan chaplain who is a captain in the Army and more, representing 29 nations around the world, took the oath of allegiance Thursday at the all-military Veterans Appreciation Naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration District 20 offices in Tukwila.
MND-B Soldiers find weapons in Baghdad
Multi-National Division – Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers found weapons caches in the Baghdad area Nov. 13.
Soldier serving with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, found a weapons cache in Adhamiyah at approximately 8:30 a.m. The cache contained two rocket-propelled grenade canisters, two RPG rounds, two RPG launchers, two recoilless rifles, eight 60mm mortar rounds, 43 81mm mortar rounds and an unknown number of canisters of recoilless-rifle propellant
At approximately 7:45 p.m., Soldiers serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a cache of various bomb-making materials, which included 10 electrical blasting caps, two Motorola radios with timers, seven Motorola radios, five washing machine timers, three radio-controlled transmitters, a passive infrared device, two Nokia cell batteries, a radio receiver, two battery packs, an unknown circuit board, two pairs of scissors, a set of tweezers, a box cutter and a box of misc. electrical parts.
“Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers excel in removing these dangerous war implements from the hands of those who would harm innocent Iraqi civilians,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Inf. Div. “We are diligent in providing a safe environment for the Iraqi people.”
MND-B Troop participates in historic SOI payday
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
PATROL BASE SOUTH, Iraq – The Sons of Iraq now receive their payments from the Iraqi government.
As such, the 53rd Iraqi Army Brigade conducted its first Government of Iraq-funded payday operations Nov. 10 at Patrol Base South, northwest of Baghdad.
Soldiers from Comanche Troop, 2nd Squadron 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, along with the 53-14 Military Transition Team, assisted the 53rd Iraqi Army soldiers in processing 506 paychecks.
Stryker Soldiers Injured
Stars & Stripes is reporting that three 1/25 SBCT soldiers were injured in an explosion on Sunday.
Three soldiers were seriously injured when a booby-trapped house exploded Sunday in Diyala province, military officials said.All were flown to Balad for treatment and were listed in stable condition Monday.
The soldiers were on patrol in the town of Mullayah northeast of Baghdad when a house they were entering blew up. Names of the soldiers, who are part of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, are being withheld pending notification of their families.
Veterans' Day
We would like to take a moment to thank all of the veterans, past and present, who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Your efforts represent a debt that cannot easily be repaid, if at all. During this time of conflict let's not forget those still in harm's way, or who have been injured and are fighting to recover. A special thanks to all the families supporting each and every servicemember - you are "veterans" as well. Finally, to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, know that you will never be forgotten. Thank you.
Provided below are additional sources commemorating Veterans Day.
Soldiers in Tarmiyah Provide ‘for Common Defense’
By Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield, Multi-National Division - Baghdad
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Most people go through a daily routine. Whether it is in a career, as a student or even as a parent, they traverse through life in the best possible manner, hoping to simplify things along the way.
Along those same lines, Soldiers in Tarmiyah, an area located northwest of Baghdad, seek the same simplicity. On a preplanned basis, they rotate through the vital duties of pulling base security, checkpoint security, patrolling the streets of Tarmiyah and serving as the quick reaction force.
While the Soldiers have succeeded in performing their missions during the rotations, they have also witnessed Tarmiyah gradually change from a city torn by war and violence to a city full of possibility and growth.
“We’re not just out here to protect ourselves. We’re also here to protect the people,” said Spc. Daniel Twomey. “We are here trying to rebuild this city and make it better than what it was when we got here,” he added.
Eyes in the Sky
By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment
One of the most important assets to military aviation in a deployed environment is the one that leaves its crew on the ground.
The Shadow-200, also called the RQ7, is an unmanned aerial vehicle that allows the United States military to have aerial surveillance of occurrences on the ground.
“It’s got an on-board camera that can look down and kind of depict what I going on, on the ground and tips us off to possible enemy activities or do some over-watch if we have some troops on the ground doing something,” said Capt. Phillip Mann, commander of Troop D, 5th Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, which falls under the SBCT’s Brigade Troops Battalion.
The UAV is operated by a team of two who work out of a shelter in the back of a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle.
New Unit, New Weapons
By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE - As King Battery, 1st Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment starts to filter out of the Diyala province of Iraq and Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division replaces them, a weapon switch from Paladins to M777A2 howitzers takes place as well.
While the Paladins are mechanized and M777s are not, the M777s are just as capable at helping artillery Soldiers complete their mission.
“It’s a very good system,” said Capt. Renaldo Rivera, field artillery commander for King Battery, 1-3 ACR. “It’s just employed in a different way. Once we have all the systems in place, it’s pretty much an even swap.”
The biggest challenge of switching these weapons out, said Rivera, is the undertaking of their placement in three separate locations throughout the province.
Gen. Odierno visits MND-B Soldiers, Sab al Bour
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Gen. Ray Odierno, the commanding general of Multi-National Forces – Iraq, along with Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, visited the neighborhood of Sab al Bour, northwest of Baghdad, Nov. 5.
“I’ve been to Sab al Bour before, a couple years ago, and this is my third trip back,” said Odierno. “The first couple times it was deserted and there was fighting on every block for a ghost town.”
What the MNF-I commander saw during this visit was vastly different from his previous experience as the MND-B Soldiers showed him the successes made in the area in the economic areas, essential services and quality of life for local residents.
Odierno’s visit began at the local area’s electrical substation. Capt. Mark Gillman, who serves as the brigade’s engineer in charge of electric reconstruction, along with Jassem Muhammed Saliem, the Taji director of electricity, discussed electrical improvement.
Sab Al Bour Residents Emerge from Darkness
CAMP TAJI — Only a year ago, reliable electricity in Sab al Bour was just a dream. The city, just north of Baghdad along the Grand Canal, was practically deserted, with only diehard residents and pockets of insurgents sticking around in the dark.
As of Nov. 8, residents in this small agricultural city are literally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, according to sheik Nadeem Hatem al Tamimi, an influential leader in the area. Outside the city’s new electrical substation, the sheik spoke literally and metaphorically about the town’s emergence from darkness.
“We had evil forces trying to kill Iraqis … and they destroyed all essential services,” he said, describing insurgent attempts to control the city and population. “Today, we are calling for unity between all people of Iraq.”
The top Coalition forces leader in the Taji area said he believes peace and stability starts with electricity, and was at the event to congratulate Sab al Bour on its achievement.
Over 700 graduate from IP academy in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – An Iraqi Police Academy graduation ceremony took place in Ashraf in the Diyala Province of Iraq Nov. 6.
The academy graduated 727 new Iraqi Police officers; 27 graduates were women. The ceremony marked further the security improvements that have been taking place in the province.
Coalition forces leaders were in attendance to show their support.
“This ceremony marks a huge, bold step forward for the people of Diyala,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman Maj. Chris Hyde. “Now the citizens of this great province can rest a little easier at night, knowing that there are qualified, talented, and motivated police officers making their communities safer.”
MND-B Soldiers seize various caches
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Iraqi soldiers, Iraqi policemen and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons caches in the Baghdad area Nov. 6.
Soldiers serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a concrete block with wires coming out of it north of Baghdad at approximately 9:10 a.m. An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team inspected the concrete block and found a Russian-manufactured OF-26 high-explosive 125 mm projectile, an Italian-manufactured land mine and approximately 20 rounds of 14.5 mm small arms ammunition.
Approximately two hours later, Soldiers serving with the same unit on a joint patrol with Iraqi National Policemen found a cache in a house believed to belong to an improvised explosive device maker north of Baghdad. The munitions included an Italian-manufactured land mine, four factory sealed bags of Iranian-manufactured 7.62 mm rounds, nine 40 mm Iranian-manufactured PG-7 launch motors, nine AK-47 magazines, 2,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, propaganda material, two cell phone, two circuit boards, three computer memory cards, two spools of coated copper wire, a clock with toggle switch, a cell phone battery charger, a 9-volt battery, four protective masks, an Iraqi Police uniform with body armor. The weapons and small arms ammunition was found in the Ba’qubah district.
MND-B Soldiers help recruit new IP officers
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, hosted a recruiting drive at Combat Out Post Falahat, northwest of Baghdad, Oct. 30 for Sons of Iraq members.
Since the Government of Iraq took control of the SoI, many of its members look to pursue positions with the local Iraqi Police or elsewhere within the Iraqi Security Forces.
Coalition forces, along with the GoI, came to an agreement to transition many SoI guards into ISF positions. Local leaders were asked to select potential candidates for the selection process.
Operation Tomahawk Shock
The Seattle P-I has an article describing the same training exercise covered by The News Tribune.
The platoon of about 40 troops from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division spent Sunday night and most of Monday on the exercise, called "Operation Tomahawk Shock." It was named for the infantry battalion at the center of the action -- the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Tomahawks.The entire 3rd Brigade is getting ready to make its third deployment to Iraq next year.
The soldiers of Comanche Company made the most of their chances to react to realistic situations. Their guns fired blank ammunition with lasers recording hits. Role players filled in as Iraqis, both friendly and hostile.
MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army soldiers, Iraqi policemen, Sons of Iraq and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons caches in Baghdad Nov. 2.
Soldiers serving with 4th Battalion, 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, found a cache west of Baghdad at approximately 2 p.m. The munitions include four RPG-7 rocket motors, 19 flares, two hand grenades, a bag of AK-47 ammunition, and two bags of PKM ammunition.
A tip from a local SoI shaykh led MND-B Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, to a cache north of Baghdad at approximately 3:15 p.m. The weapons seized included a 120 mm high-explosive mortar round, 15 57 mm anti-aircraft projectiles, a can of 14.5 DSHKA rounds, three 82 mm mortars, a 73 mm high-explosive projectile, a 100 mm APC-T projectile, two 100 mm projectiles and two rocket motors.
At approximately the same times Soldiers serving in Company C,1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found three PG-7s, a 82mm mortar round and a rocket war head north of Baghdad.
While on patrol, policemen serving with 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division, found a 10-inch explosively formed penetrator and an 82mm rifle round on the side of the road in the New Baghdad district of Baghdad.
“Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers continue to sweep more harmful munitions and weapons from the hands of those who would use them to harm the Iraqi people,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
'Coin of the Realm' Powers Iraqi Citizens
CAMP TAJI — In early January 2008 a U.S. military brigade’s tour began by focusing on the importance of essential services to the Iraqi people with electricity at the top of the list. Ten months later, Coalition forces and the Ministry of Electricity have made significant strides with their efforts.
“Electricity is the coin of the realm; without it, water for the crops doesn’t flow, lights aren’t on and people don’t have quality of life,” said Col. Todd McCaffrey, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
Improvements have brought better electrical systems to the residents of Sab al Bour, Tarmiyah, Nassir Wa Salam, Abu Ghuraib and Taji.
Blogging a Training Exercise
Scott Fontaine of The News Tribune is blogging while embedded with the 3rd Platoon, C Company, 1-21 INF, 3/2 SBCT during a training exercise. Just visit the FOB Tacoma homepage and check for updates.
Related:
Troops get dress rehearsal for Iraq - The News Tribune
Return Trip
Stars & Stripes follows a group of 2nd SCR soldiers as they leave Iraq and make the trip back to Germany.
ALI AL SALEM AIR BASE, Kuwait — It was midnight and home was within grasp, but after 15 months of grueling battle and fleeting sleep, the soldiers of 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment now faced the airport screening from hell.After carefully packing their bulging bags with clothes, body armor and trinkets picked up in Iraq, 305 soldiers had to empty everything for security officials who picked through shirts, underwear and socks looking for contraband. The check came between two X-ray scans and two metal detectors, a process that took about three hours.
Stryker Documentary
The News Tribune has a nice feature about a filmmaker who spent some time with the 1/25 SBCT in Mosul in 2005. The result is a documentary called "The Long Road Home," which has not been released yet.
Company C, 3rd Battalion of the 21st Infantry Regiment of the 25th Division’s Stryker Brigade was also assigned to Mosul. The core incident of the film comes at the end of the unit’s yearlong deployment when a platoon of Stryker soldiers take a perilous three-day, 560-mile convoy journey down the highway from Mosul to Kuwait City. At the end of the trip was the jet that would take the troops back to the states.The highway was called “IED Alley,” Slee said, and “the pucker factor was very high” during the long drive south. The platoon Slee rode with was lucky. Their vehicles weren’t hit by roadside bombs. But they saw blast holes on every side, mile after mile.
Platoon Sgt. Corey Meyers, one of the soldiers prominently featured in “The Long Road Home,” recalled an incident in which a convoy of Humvees two or three miles ahead of his platoon hit an IED. Other soldiers went to the men’s aid, and Meyers and his convoy kept rolling.
IA, MND-B Soldiers find caches north of Baghdad
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD –Iraqi Army and Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons caches throughout Baghdad Nov. 1.
At approximately 10 p.m., Iraqi Army soldiers from the 37th Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, along with Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, seized a cache north of Baghdad. The cache included four 90 mm projectiles, three 122 mm projectiles, a 120 mm mortar, 20 pounds of powdered aluminum, approximately 30 pounds of explosives, 10 pounds of sulfur, four washing machine timers, six batteries, four radios, 10 feet of red detonation cord, and an assortment of insulated wires.
Less than an hour later, IA soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th IA Division, and Soldiers serving with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), responded to a tip from a concerned citizen in Kadhamiyah. Located in the courtyard of a house was an AK-47 rifle with eight full magazines, 50 loose 7.62 mm rounds, a pair of binoculars, an Iraqi Army flak vest, a rocket-propelled grenade booster, three grenades with fuses, and five radios with chargers.
“Iraqi Army and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers continue to combine their efforts to safeguard the Iraqi people,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, 4th Infantry Division and MND-B. “Together, they are serving to make all of Baghdad a safer place.”
Additional DVIDS Stories
Here are a few more Stryker-related stories from DVIDS.
- Headhunter Soldiers Let Loose When Comics Come
- Runners of the Equinox
- Soldiers Distribute School Supplies to Iraqi Students
- Students at Fahama Primary School Cheer Brighter Beginning
- Strykehorse Soldiers Work With Iraqi Security Forces in Falahat
1/25th Takes Over Battlespace
By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq - A transition of authority ceremony took place, Oct. 27, 2008, at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, located in the Diyala province of Iraq, signifying the end of a 15 month tour of duty for the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment Dragoons and the start of a year-long tour of duty for the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Arctic Wolves.
“It’s a very important day because the Arctic Wolves are coming in – a very good organization,” said Maj. Gen Mark Hertling, commander of 1st Armored Division and Multi-National Division-North. “They’re coming at a very historic time in Diyala. There’s still a lot of clearing-out of enemies to do, but, more than that, they’re going to be forced to meet the big challenge of reconstruction, improvement of economic capabilities and the assistance of the government in a time where we’re about to head into elections.”
Hertling said he’s seen Col. Burt Thompson, commander of 1st SBCT, 25th In. Div., and his Arctic Wolves rise to the challenge of taking over the battlespace.
Kings of the Mountain
By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - He didn’t climb Mount McKinley for the thrilling rush of adrenaline through his veins when there was nothing but a 5,000 foot drop on either side of him, or for the sheer adventure of climbing a 20,320 foot mountain, or even to just to have the ability to say that he did it. Capt. Graham Ward climbed the tallest mountain in North America simply to help his best friend, Capt. Keelan McNulty, fulfill a life-long dream.
“I had no desire to climb it before then,” said Ward, the recon platoon leader for 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. “I was always envious that he, at least, had the desire to climb it. I never knew where he got that desire from.”
The whole thing started while the two were driving around in a car one day.
“He was telling me all his friends canned him,” Ward said. “Things came up and they wouldn’t be able to do it before we deployed.”
Gimlets Send Aloha to Mighty Mules
By Capt Benjamin Roark, 2/25 SBCT
BAGHDAD – Over the rustle of the windward breeze through the pineapple fields and the hum of the stadium lights, the sound of a referee’s whistle cuts the night air. It’s Friday night and the Leilehua High School Mighty Mules, take the field in their quest for gridiron victory and pursuit of another state title.
Thousands of miles beyond the roar of the cheers and the clash of helmets, fans of a different sort are cheering with the rest of the crowd. The Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment “Gimlets,” share a close tie with the students and families at Leilehua High School because many are in fact just that: Family.
Leilehua’s close proximity to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, the home of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and the Gimlet Battalion, plays a large part in the make-up of its student body and fan base. Nearly 25 percent of the students who attend are from military families. Several Gimlet Soldiers have sons or daughters who attend the school.
Soldier in Focus
By Sgt. 1st Class Christina Bhatti, 2/25 SBCT
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – A company commander’s success is based on the accomplishments of their Soldiers.
For Capt. Brian Sweigart, a native of San Antonio, and commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, “Wolfhounds,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, that is an idea he takes seriously.
“I take personal pride in what my Soldiers do,” he said. “My job is to talk to them and mentor them. It’s great to know that I have a hand in shaping their successes. If they are successful that means I am successful.”
Sweigart received his commission eight years ago after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in West Point, N.Y. He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who also served in the military.
Swap Meet
By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment
Separate battalions within 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division traded one unit for another after recently deploying to Iraq. The units making the swap were 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment and 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment.
“Bravo Battery, from 2-8, was switched with Bravo Company from 3-21,” said 1st Lt. Justin Geen, 4th Platoon leader, Company B, 3rd Bn., 21st In. Regt., 1st SBCT, 25th In. Div. “It was mostly due to a personnel issue.”
An artillery battery contains fewer Soldiers than an infantry company, Geen said.
“The sector for 2-8 was a little more active that they originally thought it was going to be,” Geen said. “So they wanted an infantry company with Strykers in the area in order to augment the other two batteries.”
Record Number of ‘Warriors’ Choose to Remain Army Strong
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, have reenlisted to “stay Army” at record rates during fiscal 2008.
In fact, so many Warriors committed to remaining with the team, they broke the U.S. Army’s reenlistment record for Soldiers in a deployed brigade.
The brigade’s Soldiers kicked off the deployment strong as Soldiers began lining up to reenlist when they arrived in Kuwait in December. By the end of the fiscal year, 1,263 Warriors had reenlisted to remain part of the Army’s Team. The previous record had been 1,253 reenlisting Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, which is based out of Fort Lewis, Wash.
