Iraqi Minister of Defence, MNF-I Commander visit Diyala
Multi-National Division – North
DIYALA, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition leadership came together May 23 to discuss current and future operations for the Diyala Province.
Iraqi Minister of Defence Abdul-Qadar Mohammad Jassim al-Mifarji along with Multi-National Force – Iraq Commander Gen. Raymond Odierno and Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby received an assessment briefing on the major operation being conducted in Diyala, “Glad Tidings of Benevolence II.”
The operation began May 1 and has led to the detainment of 301 persons for various crimes and the discovery of multiple weapons caches according to officials from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Gimlet Soldier Honored
Sgt. Scott Kenyon, a soldier with the 2/25 SBCT, was awarded the Silver Star on Friday at Schofield Barracks.
Kenyon on Friday will receive the Silver Star at Schofield Barracks for actions that "undoubtedly prevented the loss of life within his squad and platoon," the medal citation says.The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to U.S. armed services personnel.
Related:
Sergeant earns Silver Star - Honolulu Advertiser
Decorated Soldier Trains Future Warriors
Via FOB Tacoma we found another article by the LA Times regarding former 4/2 SBCT soldier, Spc. Erik Oropeza, who was recently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
On his fifth Memorial Day holiday as a U.S. soldier, Spc. Erik Oropeza had much to reflect on.Only 22, he has felt the earth shudder from mortar and bomb blasts, faced down enemies who outnumbered and outgunned him, and seen good friends die. While others took Monday off to enjoy picnics with their families, Oropeza's thoughts were with the men who stood with him through the test of combat.
"I don't celebrate Memorial Day like other people do," he said. "It's a sad day for me."
This year, Oropeza was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration for valor. And now the quiet young soldier has a new role: helping to train those headed for combat.
Related:
Distinguished Service Cross awarded for saving lives in Iraq - Stryker Brigade News
Joint Operation Clears Nassir Factory
TAJI, Iraq — Soldiers from the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team conducted a large-scale joint operation, May 24, with members of the Iraqi army to clear a factory of possible enemy insurgent activity.
Independence Soldiers, along with elements of the 36th and 37th Battalions of the Iraqi army, conducted a massive sweep of the Nassir factory and Kem village in order to upset enemy activity.
The Nassir factory, located about two miles north of Camp Taji, has historically been an area of insurgent action in the northern Baghdad belt. This was the first joint operation of this size the Pennsylvania National Guard troops had conducted with the Iraqi army. It included two companies each from 56th SBCT and the Iraqi army.
A Time to Remember
BAGHDAD – Soldiers with the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team took time to honor their fallen at a Memorial Day service, May 25, on Camp Taji, Iraq.
"For us in Iraq, this day is all the more meaningful and significant," said Capt. Schaun Myers, chaplain, from Reading, Pa. "We have a much clearer view of what our fallen have faced, the courage displayed and the sacrifices made, to keep our children and our nation free."
During the event Col. Marc Ferraro, commander of the 56th Stryker Brigade, read a letter he received from a sergeant in the brigade whose soldiers were killed in action on a previous deployment.The letter stated in part, "I only knew these men from my service with them but I loved them as much as I have loved anyone in my life."
Ferraro concluded much like the letter, by saying, "I ask all of you, as this sergeant did, to take the time today to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice."
The 56th Stryker Brigade has suffered one combat loss during its current deployment when Staff Sgt. Mark Baum was killed north of Taji, Feb. 21, in a direct fire engagement with the enemy. Seven other members of the brigade have died in action since September 11, 2001.
Busy Year Precedes Infantryman's Trip to Iraq
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – A Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldier who began his basic training the day the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team mobilized has caught up to his unit in Iraq, after a busy year of military instruction.
Pvt. Jason Berry, of Carlisle, Pa., with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, said he joined to serve and can best do that by being with his deployed unit at Camp Liberty where the 2-112th is attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
"This is the Guard's biggest [combat] deployment since World War II. I wanted to be a part of it and do my part," Berry said.
Re-enlistments Mark Memorial Day
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from a 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team unit took time, May 24, to recognize peers who have reenlisted while mobilized. The unit also welcomed newly-promoted sergeants into the non-commissioned officer ranks.
Dual morning ceremonies honored outstanding service and commitment before Soldiers of the 328th Brigade Support Battalion, based out of Lancaster, Pa., launched into an afternoon of Memorial Day weekend fun that included a cookout and softball and basketball games.
Twenty-three recently-promoted sergeants signed the NCO charge and read the Creed of the NCO in front of a battalion formation. Sixty-two Soldiers, who recently re-enlisted, then walked the stage at the front of the pavilion to receive a U.S. flag and a certificate verifying the flag was flown in theatre.
LA Marathon...In Iraq
A 56th SBCT soldier organized a "shadow" LA marathon in Iraq on Memorial Day and 400 fellow soldiers participated in the event.
Update: DVIDS has a follow up article re: the marathon, with photos - Camp Taji Marathon.
SPC Chad A. Edmundson
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Chad A. Edmundson, 20, of Williamsburg, Pa., died May 27 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry, 56th Stryker Brigade, Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers.
Related:
Area soldier killed - Altoona Mirror
Central Pa. soldier dies in roadside blast in Iraq - Philadelphia Inquirer
Soldiers Remember Comrade in Memorial Ceremony - Stryker Brigade News
Memorial Day
"Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men." -- Pericles (c. 600 B.C.)
Please take a moment to visit our Memorial Page honoring soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
You might also be interested in reading past entries from our Tributes Category.
U.S. Memorial Day Website - Great launching point for learning more about this holiday.
Memorial Day Quotations - Words for reflection.
Please feel free to share other links of interest in the comments section.
Family at War
The News Tribune has a nice profile of the Ewens family, which will soon send its fourth son off to war with the 5/2 SBCT. One did not return.
Ewens, a Gig Harbor resident, marched near the front of a group holding large banners in the May 16 parade in downtown Bremerton. On his banner was a photo of a soldier wearing body armor and the patch of the 10th Mountain Division.The photo is of Forrest Ewens, Michael’s son who was killed in Afghanistan on June 16, 2006. [...]
For the remaining Ewens brothers, Oaken, Elisha and Stephen, serving in Afghanistan has become a way to honor their brother’s memory. The three soon will be within 150 miles of each other.
“I feel that this is now our family’s war,” said Stephen, a specialist with the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. “All four of us will finally be back together sharing the same fight, walking on the same dusty ground.”
Guardsmen, Iraqi Army Soldiers on the Hunt in Abu Ghraib
Story by Sgt. Doug Roles, 56th SBCT
BAGHDAD – Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team partnered with Iraqi army soldiers, May 19, to search several locations in the Abu Ghraib area for explosives. The joint patrol was part of an ongoing joint effort to lessen the threat of vehicle borne improvised explosive devices in Abu Ghraib by searching for components used in making car bombs.
Soldiers from Company B, 2-112th said the continued patrols with the Iraqis serve as a deterrent to would-be insurgents.
"The VBIED is one of the greatest threats. We were actively patrolling to mitigate that threat," said Capt. Jason Hoffman, commander of Co. B. "We maintain a near constant presence."
Hoffman said Soldiers of the 2-112th face "a big challenge" in Abu Ghraib, at one time one of the more volatile areas of Iraq, but said he is proud of the way his Soldiers have met that challenge and have represented both the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the U.S. Army. Hoffman said the civilian experience teachers, corrections officers and emergency medical technicians bring to Iraq as Soldiers is invaluable. He said his Soldiers are involved in "full spectrum operations" that range from combat patrols to assisting with civil affairs missions.
"We've done a lot of great things here," said 1st Lt. Michael Keckler, of Bel Air, Md., a platoon leader with Co. B.
Keckler's platoon was in charge of securing a landing zone during the operation, in the event that medical evacuation by air was needed. He echoed Hoffman, saying, his platoon maintains a near constant presence in sector. He said that level of activity pays off with locals providing more tips on insurgent activity.
"The civilians are stepping up. They're a little less scared, because we're out there all the time," he said. "They're less scared to come and talk to us."
Remembering Her Brother in Marez
(Found this story via FOB Tacoma)
Story by Pfc. Amanda Tucker, 3rd Sustainment Command
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – She fidgeted with her black bracelet showing a black and white portrait of a man wearing dark sunglasses inscribed with a date and some words. Underneath her uniform, she wears a cross concealing within it, a vial of ashes. She smiled as she said, "I am a walking memorial of my brother."
Capt. Linda A. Bass, a support operations resource plans officer for the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), began her deployment hoping to visit Forward Operating Base Marez; where a street was named after her little brother, Sgt. 1st Class Richard Henkes, who died in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Sept. 2006.
"He had just been promoted ... and this was his first time being a platoon sergeant, a "platoon daddy" as he liked to call it, and he was very excited about it," Bass said.
Henkes was assigned to 2nd Battalion,3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Inf. Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.
Warrior Memorial
The 2/25 SBCT recently unveiled a memorial to the brigade's fallen soldiers. Provided below are articles covering the ceremony.
- Warrior Brigade unveils memorial to its fallen at Schofield - Honolulu Advertiser
- Memorial honors 18 who died in Iraq - Honolulu Star-Bulletin
- Schofield Barracks Dedicates Memorial to Fallen Soldiers - KGMB9
Book: Last Journey
SSG Darrell Griffin was KIA in March 2007 while serving with the 2-3 INF, 3/2 SBCT in Iraq. He was in the process of writing a book about his experiences and his father, Darrell Griffin Sr., planned on helping him with the project upon his redeployment. Darrell Sr. decided to finish the book as a tribute, and even traveled to Iraq as part of the process.
The result is a book titled "Last Journey: A Father and Son in Wartime", which will be released in June, but can be pre-ordered now at the book's website. The website is also full of supplemental materials such as photos and videos - well worth a visit. Here is the description of the book from the website:
Staff Sergeant Darrell “Skip” Griffin, Jr. was killed in action on March 21, 2007, during his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Valor for dragging a comrade to safety through enemy gunfire. He was also in the middle of writing a book. Tentatively titled The Great Conversation, it was an attempt to describe and make sense of the terrible violence he'd witnessed in Iraq. His father, Darrell Griffin, Sr., was going to help him finish writing it when he returned home.In the face of Skip’s death, Darrell, Sr. vowed to finish the book himself. He traveled to Iraq, observing the war close up and meeting his son's comrades. Driven by a conviction that Americans do not know enough about the war they have been fighting for the past six years, Last Journey is a gripping account of everyday life for soldiers in Iraq; it’s also an intimate portrait of a lost son, a meditation on faith, and finally a tribute to the lively philosophical debates the Griffins used to share. Included is email correspondence with Skip during the weeks before he died as well as original photographs from the frontlines. Passionate and inspiring, Last Journey serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of war.
Related:
Stryker Brigade News: SSG Darrell R. Griffin Jr.
Stryker Brigade News: Father's journey to Iraq chases son's ghost
Stryker Brigade News: E-Mails Reveal a Fallen Soldier's Story
Photos: 56th SBCT
DVIDS has a new album of photos featuring 56th SBCT soldiers conducting medical training for Iraqi soldiers.
A Wet Future for Saab Al-Bour
BAGHDAD – The Directorate General of Water Resources for Baghdad, Thair Dahri, visited Pump Station One in Saab al-Bour, May 16, to encourage students learning new skills and see firsthand the recent increase in irrigation.
"This increase means [more than 6,000 acres] of land will be irrigated," said Thair. "We are committed to increasing the ability to maintain this pump station as well."
Thair talked with 18 students training as operators at the station and said the ministry is working on getting them employed.
"We have helped increase the output of Pump Station One from two cubic meters per second to four cubic meters per second," said Capt. Philip Benner, assistant engineer, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division-Baghdad. "This has doubled the capacity of the station providing irrigation water to Saab al-Bour and Abu Ghuraib."
Benner said that they are also looking to provide excavating equipment so the Iraqi's can better maintain the canal system. This additional equipment along with 18 new operators, who will graduate the training course July 10, will increase their ability to sustain the progress.
"This project also helped fill the Ghrai Bawi canal with irrigation water," said Benner. "This is the first time in years that that canal has had significant water."
Airmen Support Soldiers by Putting Bombs on Targets
[56th SBCT soldiers quoted in this story. - Ed.]
Story by Staff Sgt. Tim Beckham
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – On a battlefield they plan, request and direct air strikes against enemy targets in close proximity to friendly forces, namely the army units on the front lines who may need close-air support in the blink of an eye.
"I get a lot of satisfaction knowing I am supporting my Army counterparts," said Senior Airman Stephan Merlics, 82nd Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron joint terminal attack controller, and who is deployed from Fort Riley, Kan., and is a native of Orlando. "I basically tell the aircraft where to put bombs on targets."
The Airmen charged with calling in these possible air strikes are known as the Tactical Air Control Party or TACPs, and for a small group of them here supporting ground forces is their number one priority.
1/25 SBCT Briefing
The commander of the 1/25 SBCT, COL Burdett Thompson, held a teleconference with the media this week. Provided below are links to the various stories.
- Fairbanks Stryker brigade gives status update - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
- Stryker brigade commander reports on progress in Iraq - Anchorage Daily News
- Strykers continue battling Iraqi insurgents, help stabilize region - KTUU News
Diyala operation continues to show strength and unity
Multi-National Division – North
DIYALA, Iraq – A major operation involving Iraqi Security Forces, Peshmerga, and
Coalition Forces continues to make progress throughout the Diyala Province.
Operation “Glad Tidings of Benevolence II” began May 1, and primarily consists
of ISF and Peshmerga forces working together to clear and secure areas in Diyala.
Thus far, soldiers from both forces have continued to capture criminals, discover
weapons caches and deliver humanitarian aid to local residents.
Soldiers of the Iraqi 2nd Brigade, 1st Division conducted a humanitarian aid
mission to assist school children at the Al-Eloom Primary School May 13. The soldiers
handed out school supplies to more than 200 children in separate classes.
More humanitarian missions are currently being planned by Iraqi forces at
locations across Diyala. This assistance aids the people of the province and helps build
strong partnerships between local residents and the Iraqi Security Forces.
“Glad Tidings of Benevolence II continues to cover both ends of the operational
spectrum,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman
Maj. Chris Hyde. “The Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga are both ridding the
province of criminal elements, their weaponry and safe havens, and assisting local
residents with rebuilding and reestablishing their lives and communities.”
Iraqi Police, PA Guardsmen Provide Help in Taji
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Iraqi national police, working with Pennsylvania National Guardsmen, distributed over five truckloads worth of food and household supplies to needy women in the Taji area, north of Baghdad, May 16.
Women lined up with their children to receive food donated by the United Nations; made available to them at the Taji Council building. Many of them said they had lost husbands in the war and have been struggling to provide for their young children.
56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team Soldiers discovered the food in a warehouse on Camp Taji when the unit took over operations last February. Civil affairs Soldiers and members of embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team - 5, based out of Camp Taji, worked with the National Police to make the food available to distribute to needy women and children.
"This is UN relief food to give to the needy, such as the handicapped, widowed, orphaned," said Maj. James Fluck, civil affairs officer for the 56th SBCT.
Update: General Lee
Michael Yon revisits the story of the Stryker vehicle dubbed "General Lee" by its crew. Great story.
Recently, I got an email from a high ranking soldier along with some photos of the General Lee. One of the photos included civilians who keep the Strykers rolling. And so I contacted the now Captain Brad Krauss (promoted from lieutenant) asking if he would write a few words about his crew and the General Lee.
Related:
Stryker Brigade News: The General Lee Comes Home
Stryker Brigade News: General Lee Comes Home, Part 2
Stryker Brigade News: One year later, General Lee rides again
More Stryker Brigades?
An article by the Army Times hints at the possibility of more Stryker Brigades for the military in the future.
Virtual Battlespace
The News Tribune describes a new computer training system in use by the 4/2 SBCT as it prepares for a deployment to Iraq.
Sgt. Christopher Osborne was riding in a Stryker through Baghdad’s International Zone when his view went black.“Man, we just got smoked!” one soldier yelled.
“Catastrophic kill,” another announced over his headset. “1-2 is dead.” [...]
Welcome to Virtual Battlespace 2, a computer-based trainer that soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are using this week at Fort Lewis to prepare for the Stryker brigade’s fall deployment to Iraq – its second trip in three years.
Related:
Surviving the virtual battlefield - FOB Tacoma
Czech Honors Dragoon “Cowboys”
By 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office
Hostoun, Czech Republic (May, 1, 2009) — The streets of Hostoun in the Czech Republic were transformed into something from a World War II movie Friday. Past and present combined as vintage military vehicles, courtesy of the Military Car Club of Pilzen and Stryker vehicles from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (2SCR) lined the streets. Residents, dressed in their best WWII American military uniforms gathered alongside troopers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2SCR to celebrate the 64th Anniversary of Operation Cowboy.
As WWII drew to an end, Patton’s Third Army and the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment undertook what was to be, a historic rescue mission that liberated 400 Prisoners of War and more than 670 horses. Among the horses rescued were the world famous Lipizzaner. The Lipizzaner breeding mares were taken from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and were being held in Hostoun. Fearing the horses would fall into the hands of the Soviet Army, a small task force was formed from the 42nd Squadron to drive the horses via an old-west style cattle drive from Hostau to Bela nad Radbuzou which was under Allied control. The mission was deemed Operation Cowboy. During this operation, Pfc. Raymond Manz and Tech 5 Owen Sutton both of Alpha Troop, 42nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment were killed by German SS forces while transporting the horses.
Commander Highlights Progress North of Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Col. Marc Ferraro, commander of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, told Iraqi journalists, May 12, that his Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers, working alongside Iraqi security forces, have improved security in the Taji and Tarmiyah regions, north of Baghdad.
Ferraro and an embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team leader also discussed ongoing efforts to improve local infrastructure during a press conference and luncheon held at the Freedom Rest center in the International Zone, Baghdad.
Over 30 Iraqi journalists, from media outlets based in Baghdad, attended the event. After making their opening statements, Ferraro and Linda Specht, the PRT leader, answered questions on topics ranging from security to freedom of the press to irrigation.
"Security does remain our number one priority within the qadas [regions]," Ferraro said. "We continue to conduct combined patrols with the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police throughout the qadas. We feel we have disrupted the enemy's ability to conduct operations."
Iraqi Forces making strong progress in major Diyala operation
Multi-National Division – North
DIYALA, Iraq – Significant progress has been made throughout the Diyala Province one week into a major operation called “Glad Tidings of Benevolence II,” being conducted by Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish Peshmerga and Coalition forces.
“What’s particularly significant about this operation is the high degree of cooperation that Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga units have shown in completing various patrols and clearing operations together,” said Maj. Chris Hyde, spokesman, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. “I think it’s an excellent sign that the tides are perhaps turning in the relationship between these two groups.”
The operation has consisted of clearing areas in search of weapons caches, checking identification for known criminals and bringing humanitarian assistance to local communities.
Hundreds of illegal AK-47s have been taken off the streets, along with dozens of people detained by the ISF for suspected terrorism.
A major portion of this operation has also included more than 40 civil affairs projects created to help many areas in need. These projects range from refurbishing a school in Balad Ruz to digging a well in Muqdadiyah.
During the operation, ISF and Peshmerga forces have received assistance from Coalition forces, who are predominantly providing aviation and other needed assets.
Funding a Brighter Future Through Micro-grants
Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell
BAGHDAD – A few months ago there were desks caked with dust piled in a corner, no fans or air conditioning, no books - filthy conditions and broken windows in a dilapidated building that was supposed to be al-Irshad primary school in Bata.
But according to Pfc. Nickolas Klingel, a cavalry scout from Kresgiville, Pa., assigned to 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 56th "Independence" Stryker Brigade Combat Team, during their 90-day micro grant assessment on May 9, this school has transformed into a safe-haven for Iraqi children to come and learn.
Because of the micro-grant program, this school, along with local businesses, now has proper facilities to help improve security and resurrect the Iraqi economy.
At the al-Irshad primary school, the children's future is brighter and the parents notice.
Senior Enlisted Soldier Receives Memories to Last a Lifetime
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Klunk keeps a box in his home in Hanover, Pa. In it are keepsakes that remind him of significant events that have shaped his career as a Soldier over the past 38 years in the military.
When he returns home in the fall, he will need a bigger box.
That's because Klunk, the senior enlisted staff member of Task Force Joshua, 108th Field Artillery, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, has new memories - memories of the time he spent helping to prepare his unit for deployment to Iraq; memories of time spent in Mississippi and Louisiana training for an ever-changing war in the Middle East; and memories of time spent at Camp Taji, Iraq where his unit is responsible for both traditional missions as well as a slew of non-traditional field artillery missions.
One of the things that his box of memories is sure to include is a stack of letters from the Spring-Ford Middle School Seventh Grade Center in Royersford, Pa., where his daughter, Melinda, teaches math.
'Independence' Individual Ready Reserve Soldiers Answer Call
Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell
BAGHDAD – After spending a year in Iraq with the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from 2003 to 2004, Specialists Wayne Mason and Ronnie Whitehurst finished up their time on active duty as infantrymen and transitioned to the Individual Ready Reserve and civilian life.
Everything was going fine. They each had families to take care of and never thought they'd see each other again. Until one day a few years into their IRR commitment when they each received FedEx packages.
"I was scared for real, to be honest," said Mason, a native of Columbus, Ohio. "I didn't want to come back to Iraq. I could've got out of reporting, but I have the mentality of a Soldier. I love this country."
"At first, I was debating on what would happen if I didn't show up," admitted a soft-spoken Whitehurst of Pensacola, Fla. "'Cause I really didn't know the consequences."
Both Soldiers swallowed hard and left their families for Iraq again. This time as members of C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 56th "Independence" Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Caches Sweep Uncovers New Leads, Trust
Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell
BAGHDAD – A concerned local citizen tips a community leader in the rural village of Hay al-Skri in northern Baghdad. There might be a weapons cache buried on a farm.
Soldiers of 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, are quick to move and arrive at the farm, May 8, with tools to search for weapons and explosives.
"We follow up on leads for weapons caches with tips that we receive," said Staff Sgt. Paul Jones, a Waynesboro, Pa., native and cavalry scout squad leader assigned to C Troop. "The locals give us information because they want to save their kids too. They live here and are tired of getting blown up."
The Soldiers quickly cordon off the farm, make their presence known and talk to the military-aged males at the farm, next to a school. Parents herd the children into a line on a curb. Despite their curiosity, the children bury their heads in their books.
"Overall, you got the insurgency placing these caches at places like this and when you find them, the locals come out and thank you," said Cpl. Bryan Eveland, a cavalry scout team leader from Waterville, Pa., also assigned to C Troop.
Photos: 56th SBCT
DVIDS has a new photo album featuring soldiers from the 1-112th INF, 56th SBCT patrolling near Taji.
Recon Platoon/ERF Taking RKG-3 Cell Members Off the Street
Story by Sgt. Jeremy Pitcher, 145th MPAD
DIYALA, Iraq – Being able to locate and detain those who wish to do harm to innocent people is frequently a difficult task. The ability to strike at a moment's notice must be mastered in order to be effectively complete this task.
Recon Platoon, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division specializes in time-sensitive-targeting in Baqubah. The roughly 30-man platoon must be ready around the clock for the moment when they are given the order to strike.
These TST missions are often source driven raids and can range from a high value target to targets that are felt to pose an imminent threat to the population or to security forces.
The Recon platoon trains and executes missions with their Iraqi counter-part, a police emergency response force. Recon trains the ERF on advanced tactics that allow the two to function as one entity while conducting raids.
Glad Tidings of Benevolence II shows early success in Baqubah
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces along with their Coalition partners have begun a major operation to improve the security and stability of the Diyala Province.
Recent operations in Baqubah have yielded early success with 14 people detained by Iraqi forces. Additionally, 158 AK-47s have been taken off the street in the four days since operations began.
Two weapons caches, one pistol, one hand grenade and one semenov rifle have also been confiscated from the area during this period.
“Glad Tidings of Benevolence II continues to prove both the immense ability and passion of the Iraqi Security Forces,” said 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spokesman, Maj. Chris Hyde. “It’s good to see the Iraqis in the lead and on point for their nation.”
56th SBCT Update
The Patriot News has a brief update from the brigade's commander, COL Marc Ferraro.
Keystone Soldiers, Iraqi Police Focus on Taji Market Security
TAJI, Iraq – Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers and their Iraqi counterparts have been hitting the streets to maintain security in Taji market, one of the busiest sectors of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team's area of operations, north of Baghdad. The market is a lynchpin in the security effort there because it's where the lives of locals intertwine.
"Being the main market area, that's the economy," Harrisburg, Pa., native, 1st Lt. Joshua Fox, a platoon leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, said following a May 4 patrol through the market.
"Everybody in the area is linked to the market," Fox added. "They work there or they buy there."
The market is in the area of operations of Guard Soldiers stationed at Joint Security Station Hor Al Bosh. Patrolling Soldiers regularly talk to shopkeepers and with Iraqi security forces manning checkpoints. Fox said his Soldiers incorporate as many Iraqi police as are available on a given day into their patrols.
Photos: Clearing Operation in Al Asreya
Soldiers from the 5-1 CAV, 1/25 SBCT are featured in a new photo album at DVIDS.
Former Diyala Governor celebrated for service
Multi-National Division – North
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, DIYALA, Iraq – Coalition leadership gathered to wish farewell to former Diyala provincial governor Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tamimi at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, April 29.
Brig. Gen. James Nixon, deputy commanding general of operations for Multi-National Division – North, Col. Burt Thompson, commander of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, along with 1-25 SBCT battalion commanders and Iraqi Security Forces leaders from around the province attended.
The event was planned as a way to thank Ra’ad Al Tamimi for his service to the province and country while serving as the Diyala governor for the past four years. Soldiers from the 1-25th worked for the last seven months with Ra’ad Al Tamimi, who has also partnered with four other Coalition forces brigades and interacted with countless CF servicemen and women, as well as members of the State Department, during his tenure as governor.
The night’s festivities included dinner and the presentation of several gifts given to Ra’ad Al Tamimi by Coalition leaders to show their appreciation for his many accomplishments as Diyala’s head-of-state.
Ra’ad Al Tamimi thanked the members of the brigade for their hard work and offered thanks to those who gave their lives in the service of Iraq and Diyala province.
New Book From Stryker Relatives
Friends for Life: Strangers Brought Together by the War in Iraq is a new book by Jennifer MackInday and Patti Donahue that many of you might be interested in. Provided below is a description from the book's website, friendsforlifebook.weebly.com, where you can purchase the book as well. It is also available at Amazon.com
Friends for Life is a story of two women who were strangers brought together through the yearlong deployment of the infamous Deuce Four Stryker Brigade to Mosul, Iraq. Patti, the mother of Army medic Jon, and Jennifer, sister of infantry soldier James, forged a dear friendship as their soldiers fought to stay alive in one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq. After meeting online, Patti and Jennifer joined forces at home to support their soldiers and comfort each other while their boys battled in the fierce fight to secure Mosul. Over a year later, Patti and Jennifer finally met in person and truly became friends for life. This book is full of emotional stories from the battlefront and the home front and also includes many resources for military families.
Wolf pack mourns the loss of a brother
By Spc. Jerry Wilson, 2SCR, Public Affairs
Vilseck, Germany (April, 24, 2009) – Soldiers of Hawk Company, 3rd Squadron. 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment gathered alongside their fellow Dragoons and Vilseck community members at the Vilseck Chapel Friday to pay tribute to, and celebrate the life of a noncommissioned officer who most described as a dedicated team player.
Sgt. William Patrick Sullivan II died April 22 from acute respiratory symptoms, stemming from an illness he had been battling since March. Sullivan was born June 15, 1985 in Oceanside, Ca. He is survived by his mother Yolanda and Father Joseph T. Sullivan, a former Marine.
“Sgt. Sullivan was a model Soldier,” said 1st Lt. Ryan Tallant, 2nd Platoon Leader. “He was the kind of Soldier every leader dreams about because he only made you better.”
2SCR hosts 112th Panzers for EIB
By Spc. Jerry Wilson, 2SCR Public Affairs
Vilseck, Germany (April, 22, 2009) –Sponsored by 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment Soldiers of the 112th Panzer Grenadiers Battalion joined with their partners from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment to participate in a time honored event for Infantry Soldiers, the Expert Infantry Badge competition(EIB).
The EIB is a badge awarded to Infantry Soldiers who have proven their knowledge and mastery of their craft through a series of evaluations related to basic Infantry skills. Some of the tasks involved are: calling for fire, using radio and night vision equipment, firing and servicing a variety of weapons which include machine guns and anti-tank weapons, map reading as well as combat life saving skills.
For many of the Panzer Soldiers, this training was a new and exciting experience.
Medical Evacuation Compound Dedicated in Memory of Fallen Soldier
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Ewer
The Pickard Medical Evacuation Compound Naming Ceremony was scheduled for April 20 at 10 a.m. on Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The ceremony was delayed when the vital mission of the MEDEVAC unit took top priority as a flight of two UH-60 Black Hawk MEDEVAC helicopters arrived with five U.S. Soldiers wounded during a suicide vest bomb attack in Baqubah minutes earlier. The MEDEVAC compound received five of these Soldiers, giving them immediate medical attention.
The naming ceremony for the new $15 million MEDEVAC compound began as the twin UH-60s, belonging to C Company, 2-149 General Support Aviation Battalion, lifted off.
The new facility was dedicated by the Texas based C Company, "Alamo DustOff," in the memory of a C Company patient who died of his wounds early in their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10.
Pfc. Heath K. Pickard, 21, of Palestine, Texas, died Oct. 16 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he received indirect fire in Baquba, Iraq. He was assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He was posthumously promoted to specialist.
Fundraiser for 56th SBCT
The Altoona Mirror describes an effort to raise money to send care packages to soldiers with the 56th SBCT.
Help for area soldiers deployed in Iraq came Thursday one hoagie at a time."It went wonderful," said Hope Benning, whose brother, Brian Weaver, is among the 166 soldiers from Company B, Second Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade, Pennsylvania Army National Guard. "One guy came in, got four hoagies and gave $200."
The daylong sale, organized through the Sankertown VFW Ladies Auxiliary, raised money to help send overseas care packages that already are sitting at the armory.
