New Stryker Brigade
Can anyone confirm this news, as reported by the El Paso Times?
EL PASO -- Fort Bliss will get an additional 300 soldiers when the 1st Armored Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team becomes a Stryker brigade upon its return from Iraq, Congressman Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said Tuesday.The conversion to the new Stryker vehicle will take two years and will bring with it 300 to 400 more troops to the post, Reyes's office announced.
Update 10/1: Thanks to commenters and others for pointing us to this Army Times article confirming the transition of not one, but two heavy brigades to SBCTs.
Two heavy brigade combat teams will vanish by 2013 to make way for two new Stryker brigades, bringing the Army’s number of active SBCTs to eight and taking another bite out of its armor formations.Planning documents obtained by Army Times say 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, will be converted to SBCTs beginning in fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2012, respectively, and will take 24 months to become fully operational.
Embedded with 5/2 SBCT
Here's the first article from Hal Bernton of the Seattle Times - he is currently embedded with the 1-17 INF, 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan.
JELEWAR, Afghanistan -- The man in the brown robe was digging in the desert sand. He was accompanied by three teenage boys and a donkey pulling a wooden cart.Was he scooping up sand to help make concrete? Or was he trying to bury a roadside bomb?
The soldiers in this Stryker convoy from the Fort Lewis-based 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division stopped to investigate.
3/2 SBCT Medic Saves Iraqi Boy
Stars & Stripes has an article featuring soldiers from the 3/2 SBCT who went to the aid of a young boy.
According to O’Krent, an Army medic, and other soldiers on the scene, a patrol of Strykers was rounding a corner onto a normally busy street in Biwaniya on Sept. 20 when they noticed an unsettling absence of people outside.Someone had just commented that something seemed amiss when the crack of small-arms fire broke the silence and the soldiers saw dust kicked up by the bullets next to the Strykers. But they couldn’t see the shooter.
"We thought we were in an ambush," said 2nd Lt. Terrence Nolan, 23, of Rochester, N.Y.
A boy on the street stumbled face-first to the ground. O’Krent heard Staff Sgt. David Hill yell for him and he grabbed his bag of medical supplies.
SPC Kevin J. Graham
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Kevin J. Graham, 27, of Benton, Ky., died Sept. 26 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Roadside bomb claims life of Lewis soldier - FOB Tacoma
Bomb kills Fort Lewis-based Stryker soldier - The News Tribune
One family’s pain - FOB Tacoma
Weapons caches found in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, BAQUBAH, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces, working alongside Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, discovered three caches while conducting reconnaissance near Al Byaa in Diyala province, Sept. 25.
The three caches consisted of 108 mortar fuses, six mortar boosters, an 82mm mortar body, a 62mm mortar body, a rocket-propelled grenade booster, an explosive charge with blasting cap and initiator, a mortar sight, a dushka round, a tail fin, a damaged M-67 hand grenade and an oxygen tank.
“The discovery of these caches prevented violence in Diyala province,” said 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division spokeswoman, 2nd Lt. Jennifer Palmeri. “The ISF and U.S. Forces partnership continues to refine the skills and tactics of the Iraqis to enable them to provide lasting security for the population.”
Final Planeload
The Daily News-Miner has two articles covering the final homecomings for 1/25 SBCT troops.
Husband-wife Strykers are reunited with sons in Fairbanks after deployment
Sunday arrival ends regular flights from Iraq for Fairbanks Strykers
Photos: Afghanistan
Although there are no Stryker soldiers featured I wanted to share this collection of images from Afghanistan by The Big Picture blog. Description:
Today's entry is the first of a new regular feature on the Big Picture: a monthly focus on Afghanistan. From now on, I will post such an entry at least once every month as long as necessary. Violence in Afghanistan has reached its most intense of the eight-year-old war despite record levels of U.S. and NATO troops being sent to fight the Taliban. July and August were the two deadliest months to date for coalition forces, and September is already the 3rd-deadliest, with 38 U.S. deaths - 68 total including all coalition members. With an apparently resurgent Taliban and over 120,000 foreign troops on the ground, and a recent push for the U.S. to consider sending 40,000 more (beyond the additional 21,000 troops still committed but yet undeployed), the situation in Afghanistan could possibly become even more intense in the near future. Collected here is a one-month collection of photos related to Afghanistan for September, 2009.
SPC Joseph V. White
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Joseph V. White, 21, of Bellevue, Wash., died Sept. 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. White was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Bellevue soldier among 3 Strykers killed in Afghanistan - KOMO News
Roadside bomb kills three Fort Lewis soldiers - FOB Tacoma
Fort Lewis soldier knew ‘duty and desire’ - The News Tribune
Three more fallen Stryker soldiers honored - KOMO News
Fort Lewis Memorial honors three - The News Tribune
SGT Edward B. Smith
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Edward B. Smith, 30, of Homestead, Fla., died Sept. 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Smith was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Roadside bomb kills three Fort Lewis soldiers - FOB Tacoma
Soldier from Homestead killed in Afghanistan - MiamiHerald.com
Army soldier killed: Army soldier killed in Afghanistan was from southwest Miami-Dade - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Three more fallen Stryker soldiers honored - KOMO News
Fort Lewis Memorial honors three - The News Tribune
SGT Titus R. Reynolds
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Titus R. Reynolds, 23, of Columbus, Ohio, died Sept. 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Reynolds was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Roadside bomb kills three Fort Lewis soldiers - FOB Tacoma
Area soldier killed in Afghanistan - The Columbus Dispatch
Slain soldier's wife speaks of her loss - FOB Tacoma
Three more fallen Stryker soldiers honored - KOMO News
Fort Lewis Memorial honors three - The News Tribune
Heading South
Seattle Times reporter Hal Bernton is heading south from Kabul, Ahghanistan to link up with the 5/2 SBCT.
KABUL AIRPORT... Late this afternoon, I put on my ballistic vest, buckled the chin strap of my helmet and took my seat in the back of an SUV for the drive from NATO headquarters in the center of the city to the airport.After more than three weeks here in Kabul, I am headed south to join the Fort Lewis-based 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, which is patrolling the Kandahar region with the aid of eight-wheeled Stryker vehicles.
Possible Stryker Casualties in Afghanistan?
From the Associated Press:
KABUL — Five American troops were killed in attacks in southern Afghanistan, where the U.S. and NATO have ramped up operations against the Taliban and seen casualties rise quickly in what has been the deadliest year of the war for international forces.Four soldiers died Thursday in the same small district of Zabul province, including three killed when their Stryker vehicle struck a bomb, said U.S. military spokesman Lt. Robert Carr. The fourth was shot to death in an insurgent attack, Carr said. The Stryker brigade in Zabul is part of the influx of U.S. troops sent by President Barack Obama over the summer to try to reverse Taliban gains.
Related: Reports: Stryker soldiers killed in Zabul - FOB Tacoma
National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic
Long time readers will appreciate this story. Scott Thorne, who was seriously injured in Iraq in 2004, recently participated in the 2nd annual National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic.
Former Army cavalry scout Scott Thorne, 30, of Escondido hasn't had a lot to get stoked about in the five years since an enemy bullet bounced off his radio and ripped a groove through his skull. He was injured when his foot patrol was ambushed in Mosul, Iraq.Thorne lost part of his vision and had to relearn how to speak. His marriage crumbled under the stress of his long recovery.
Yesterday, Thorne looked and felt triumphant as he successfully rode 12 waves in 15 attempts.
“He was coming out of there like a rock star,” said his instructor, James Sampson.
Related:
Photo: Scott Surfing - The Union Tribune
Photo: Scott Biking - DVIDS
Photo: Profiles in Courage - Sports Illustrated
More Stryker Brigades Planned?
The Pentagon is considering increasing the number of Stryker Brigades until the next generation of combat vehicles is developed.
The U.S. Army hopes to launch a new ground combat vehicle program in late fiscal 2010, and is seeing strong demand from military commanders for General Dynamics Corp Stryker vehicles in the meantime, a top U.S. Army general told Reuters on Wednesday."There are a lot of folks that believe that Stryker brigades are very useful in that environment. We are getting a lot of requests by commanders in Iraq, and now in Afghanistan," Brigadier General Thomas Spoehr, director of force development for the Army, told Reuters in an interview. [...]
Army Chief of Staff General George Casey approved moves to buy enough vehicles for two to five more brigades in early September, but the final decision is up to Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter, said two sources familiar with the plans.
Pfc. Raymond Russell Burrows III Acquitted in Robbery Case
The Seattle Times has a follow up to a story we linked to last year regarding three 4/2 SBCT soldiers accused of robbery. Burrows also left a comment on our previous entry in response to the story.
The third of three Fort Lewis soldiers accused in a string of robberies in Seattle's University District has been acquitted on all charges.A Seattle jury acquitted Pfc. Raymond Russell Burrows III on Friday, freeing the 22-year-old Rhode Island man after seven months in King County Jail. Now cleared, Burrows said he'll be deploying to Iraq in October to join his Stryker Brigade.
Speaking Thursday, Burrows said he jury's verdict gratified him but the rush to judgment by the public and the authorities left him troubled.
Related:
Stryker Brigade News: Ft. Lewis Soldies Suspected in Robberies
Stryker Soldiers Mourned
The News Tribune was there as Ft. Lewis held two memorials for Stryker soldiers from the 3/2 SBCT and 5/2 SBCT.
The true toll of a Stryker rollover in Iraq earlier this month was two lives ended, but countless others impacted.Staff Sgt. Todd W. Selge and Sgt. Jordan M. Shay died in the accident on Sept. 3. Selge leaves behind a widow and two sons; Shay, a fiancée whom he planned to marry when he returned from Iraq next year.
And the death shook many members of Fort Lewis' 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, which avoided losing any of its soldiers through the first month of its yearlong deployment to Iraq. Many of them gathered Thursday afternoon at the Main Post Chapel on Fort Lewis for a memorial ceremony honoring the lives of Selge and Shay.
First Lt. David T. Wright II taught fellow soldiers what he learned from years of martial arts and collegiate track and field. Sgt. Andrew H. McConnell was known for his high-intensity attitude, no matter what the situation.Both left impressions of being leaders among their peers, but now their colleagues in the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division must continue the mission of battling the Taliban in southern Afghanistan without them. The two soldiers were killed Sept. 14 when a roadside bomb detonated near their Stryker vehicle.
Hundreds gathered at Fort Lewis’ North Fort Chapel on Thursday to pay respects to the two soldiers, assigned to the brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment. Commanders delivered speeches, friends eulogized the fallen and tears flowed during the final roll call, rifle salute and playing of taps.
Finally Home
The last troops from the 56th SBCT are arriving home to PA.
Final Stryker troops return home; parade and ceremony Friday - Meadville Tribune
Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade returns from Iraq - PennLive.com
Surprise Homecoming
The Daily News-Miner reports on a family that traveled quite a ways to be in Alaska for their soldier's homecoming.
FAIRBANKS -- Every time Janine Jimenez’s cellphone rang, she clutched it tightly, squinched her face and moaned, “I can’t answer it. He doesn’t know we’re here.”Janine, the wife of returning Stryker Brigade soldier, Sgt. Fabricio Jimenez, traveled to Fairbanks from Miami with their son, Nicholas, 3, and her husband’s mother, Maritza Vasquez, to greet Fabricio.
Janine talked to him earlier in the day, and he thought she was still in Miami. Now it was 11:30 p.m. Miami time, and Janine nervously switched the phone off after not answering four calls in succession from Fabricio.
U.S. forces save life of local child
Multi-National Division – North PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, BAQUBAH, Iraq – An Iraqi child was treated by U.S. forces Sept. 20, after the boy was injured by small arms fire from an unknown source in Little Biwaniyah, Diyala province.
Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, was conducting a counter-indirect fire patrol when Soldiers heard approximately five rounds impact the road. U.S. forces did not identify a source and did not return fire.
Soldiers discovered the young boy by the side of the road, bleeding from wounds to his upper right shoulder and left pelvis. A U.S. medic dismounted the Stryker vehicle to treat the child.
Once the child was stabilized, the boy and his father were taken to a medical center at Forward Operating Base Warhorse.
The child’s life-threatening injuries made it necessary to transport him by helicopter to the U.S. hospital at Joint Base Balad.
Cougars take time for Family
VILSECK, Germany – With all their equipment loaded and sent to Bulgaria, and the Troopers gearing up to take part in Task Force East, a training mission with both the Romanian and Bulgarian Armies, members of 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment focused their attention on the children of the unit by conducting a “Kiddie Spur Ride”.
The Cougar Cubs got a little taste of what their parents do Tuesday as they participated in a series of events from first aid to water grenade throwing.
“This whole week is Cougar Family Week,” said Lt. Col Omar Jones, 2nd Squadron Commander. “The Squadron is preparing to head out to Bulgaria and this is a chance to ensure that while we are there the families feel closer to the unit and each other.”
Dragoons tackle Combat Cross Country
VILSECK, Germany – A spirit of competition was in the air Wednesday as 48 Troopers from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment gathered at the Rose Barracks Fitness in Vilseck to compete in the USAG Grafewoehr Unit Level Combat Cross Country Championship.
“This is the preliminary event to the larger competition to be held in Hohenfels,” said Carlton Campbell, tournament coordinator. “This event supports the community and showcases their overall mission of being a Soldier.”
The race is 6.2 kilometers and covers a variety of terrain. The course includes two obstacles participants must overcome. The first obstacle is a 12-foot steep hill runners must traverse twice. The final roadblock is a water obstacle. Near the halfway mark runners come upon a small bridge that is mined with simulated IEDs. They must then choose to cross the area either by traversing the side of the bridge or crossing a stream that is roughly 3-feet deep.
2SCR helps build Allied capacity at Task Force East
VILSECK, Germany –In the spirit of Theater Security Cooperation and with the help of the Joint Multinational Training Command, Troopers from 2nd and 4th Squadrons of the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment traveled to Babadag Training Area in Romania and the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria to take part in Task Force East.
As the face of modern warfare changes, developing strong bonds between coalition partners has become a vital asset in the Global War on Terror. Task Force East provides a great opportunity for 2SCR to assist allied partners in developing training capability as NATO continues to transform.
While participating in TF-East, U.S. Troops train side-by-side with Soldiers from the Romanian and Bulgarian Land Forces in a variety of combat tactics, techniques, and procedures. This interoperability allows 2SCR Troopers the unique opportunity to learn from their NATO counterparts. Cultivating a better understanding of each other allows them to develop vital relationships fundamental to coalition success in future operations.
RSS goes for gold at German Schutzenschnur
Pfreimd, Germany – More than 25 Soldiers from the Regimental Support Squadron (RSS) of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment traveled to Pfreimd, Germany Thursday to enjoy some quality time with their German counterparts participating in a weapons qualification event known as the Schutzenschnur.
The event was hosted by the RSS partnership unit, Combat Support Logistics Battalion 4. The Schutzenschnur is the German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency. To earn the coveted badge, Soldiers must successfully qualify with the German service rifle (G36) and the German machine gun (MG3). The award is broken down into three grades gold, silver and bronze. The overall score for each individual Soldier determines the award they receive. The coveted Schutzenschnur rope is one of only three German medals authorized to be worn on the U.S. Service members Class A uniform.
According to German Master Sergeant Stefan Hagel, one of the event hosts, the day wasn’t about competition, it was more about brotherhood.
Changing Role in Iraq
The News Tribune describes how the 3/2 SBCT's role in Iraq will be much different during this deployment.
Two Fort Lewis Stryker brigades totaling nearly 8,000 soldiers will be serving in Iraq by the end of September, and a key clause in the security agreement signed in 2008 between the United States and Iraq means their year-long deployments will be far different than previous ones.The status of forces agreement required all U.S. combat forces to withdraw from cities and towns by June 30. Since then, American troops are keeping a lower profile and increasingly staying on bases while their Iraqi counterparts lead missions in urban areas.
Soldiers Explore Stryker Facility at Qatar Base
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar – "You're here to see what this Stryker facility does each day for the war fighter," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander, while addressing over 20 of his soldiers and civilians inside the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Sept. 21. "The teamwork going on within this organization is incredible," said Butts, referring to the surrounding General Dynamics Land Systems' workforce.
For over six years, Stryker armored combat vehicles have protected U.S. Central Command forces from enemy engagement. Strykers offer troops a mobile, versatile, heavily-equipped and adaptive personnel carrier. The vehicles are capable of carrying troops through paved streets or rough off-road terrain. Most variants travel with well over 20 tons of armor, mechanical parts, weaponry systems and life-saving equipment.
GDLS contractors have been repairing battle-damaged Strykers at the U.S. military installation in Qatar since 2005. In December 2008, the facility started accepting vehicles desperately needing maintenance after suffering through numerous troop rotations. Typically a 10-day process, reset procedures return worn out vehicles to current configurations. The site recently extended its capabilities to meet urgent retrofitting requirements; critical adaptations intended to better protect occupants on today's battle field.
Sustainer Convoy Relocates Stryker Vehicles
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – As the drawdown of U.S. military forces in Iraq continues, the 2025th Heavy Equipment Transportation Company plays a key role in the consolidation of those forces.
During the course of nearly a week, the 2025th HET Company relocated roughly 150 Stryker vehicles belonging to 1st Battalion, 25th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, from Contingency Operating Location Warhorse to Joint Base Balad.
The heavy equipment transport is a tractor and semi-trailer system designed for the movement and transportation of large vehicles. It is capable of carrying payloads of up to 70 tons.
The HET system is composed of two components, the tractor and semi-trailer. The tractor is equipped with front and rear-axle steering. The semi-trailer's axles make it possible for the trailer to turn in unison with the tractor, making tight turns possible.
Video: U.S. and Bulgarian Soldiers Practice a Raid
DVIDS has a new video of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment and Bulgarian land forces practicing tactical military operations in urban terrain during a raid on a suspected terrorist hideout. The objective of this training session was to locate and secure high value targets and extract them to Stryker combat vehicles.
SGT Robert D. Gordon II
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Robert D. Gordon II, 22, of River Falls, Ala., died Sept. 16 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related illness, after becoming ill Sept. 11 in southern Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
SGT Andrew H. McConnell
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Andrew H. McConnell, 24, of Carlisle, Pa., died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device Sept. 14 in southern Afghanistan. McConnell was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Two Stryker soldiers killed in explosion - Fort Lewis Ranger
Two Fort Lewis soldiers dead in Afghanistan - The News Tribune
'You made us proud' - PennLive.com
1LT David T. Wright II
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
1st Lt. David T. Wright II, 26, of Moore, Okla., died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device Sept. 14 in southern Afghanistan. Wright was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Two Stryker soldiers killed in explosion - Fort Lewis Ranger
Two Fort Lewis soldiers dead in Afghanistan - The News Tribune
Darrell Griffin Featured on CNN
Darrell Griffin Sr.'s story, which is chronicled in the book Last Journey, is the top feature on CNN.com right now (see screenshot below).
When the news came, Darrell Griffin hurled the phone.Then he got in his car and navigated the madness of Los Angeles highways, thankful only for the time it gave him to think about what he would say to his family. Later, consumed with the grief of losing a son, Griffin drew the drapes in his bedroom and made his world mimic the darkness in his heart.
After he buried Darrell "Skip" Griffin Jr. and after the sympathy calls faded, the elder Griffin, like every American who has ever lost a beloved soldier, struggled to resume life's normal rhythms.
But this is where Griffin's journey veered from others and took a twist so unique that it made the U.S. Army bend its rock-hard rules. The 55-year-old accounting consultant, who opposed Vietnam and had never served in combat, traveled to the epicenter of the Iraq war. There, he would trace his son's last days.
Student Embeds Find Journalism Experience in Iraq
Story by Spc. Christopher Bruce
For many college students, an internship means driving off campus. But for three University of Alaska students, one internship meant flying halfway across the world to a war zone.
Three students and one professor from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, embedded for three weeks in the Diyala province of Iraq. The four journalists got their share of experience while embedding with the Ft. Wainwright, Alaska- based 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, located near the city of Baqubah.
While embedded, the students and their professor went on many missions that included air assaults, palm grove clearing operations and key leader meetings. They created video, print and radio stories that were aired in many of the major media outlets in Alaska. They also contributed to a daily blog called "Short Timers".
Their professor, Brian O'Donoghue, said the missions gave the students a full picture of what the brigade is doing. It allowed them to see the challenges and achievements made in the Diyala province. This, he said, will give the students experience that will make them better candidates for jobs, no matter the career field.
Deployed Soldiers Prepare for Home
Story by Spc. Christopher Bruce
Soldiers loaded Stryker military vehicles onto tractor-trailers late Friday to be shipped back to their home in Fairbanks, Alaska. The Stryker vehicles belong to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team that is part of the 25th Infantry Division.
For the past year, the brigade was headquartered at Forward Operating Base Warhorse and was in charge of the entire Diyala Province of Iraq. They deployed on Sept. 11, 2008 and will be returning home this month.
Tonight was part of a four night period where more than 100 Stryker vehicles were loaded and transported to another base for their departure home. The vehicles were guided onto the trailers under large work lights at one o'clock in the morning.
Sgt. 1st Class Christian Alexander was the top enlisted person in charge of loading the Strykers to be moved back home. He said extreme caution was taken and that safety was the main concern. That is why Dean Phillips Jr., the Brigades Safety specialist was on hand to assist. Phillips said there was potential for tipping the Strykers while driving them up on the ramps to load them onto the trailers.
Redeployment Nearly Complete
The brigade commander and senior enlisted soldier arrived home to Alaska, marking the near-completion of the 1/25 SBCT's homecoming.
FAIRBANKS — The steady flow of the returning 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division continued on Tuesday, with more than 350 soldiers arriving at Fort Wainwright after a year of service in Iraq.Among those landing at Eielson Air Force Base and making the trip to Fort Wainwright were the brigade’s commander and its senior enlisted member, marking the near-completion of the brigade’s return to its home base.
Col. Burt Thompson, the brigade’s commander, said his soldiers have left Diyala province in good hands — the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, under the command of Col. David Funk based in Fort Lewis, Wash.
1/25 SBCT Hands Over Diyala to 3/2 SBCT
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – With a combined Iraqi – U.S. color guard and leadership from the Iraqi Security Forces, Diyala Governance and U.S. Forces present, the responsibility for the partnership and security of Diyala Province was transferred from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, “Arctic Wolves”, to the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, “Arrowhead” in a transfer of authority ceremony held on Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Sept. 12.
“Today marks the official day of transfer of authority between two great, battle-tested brigade combat teams. Both units have great and storied traditions and I could not be more proud of both of them,” said Maj. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., Commander, Multi-National Division – North.
“The ‘Arctic Wolves’ deployed out of the frozen tundra of Alaska to enhance peace and stability in the extreme heat here in Iraq; while the ‘Arrowheads’ left the great Pacific Northwest to join this cause and run the anchor leg of our mission in Diyala,” he said.
After spending 11 months in Diyala province, the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division relinquished control of the province where the “Arctic Wolves” patrolled, fought and shed blood. Taking control of the province is the 3/2 SBCT, based out of Fort Lewis, Wash. which is beginning its third deployment to Iraq and second to Diyala province.
“Col. Burt Thompson and Command Sgt. Maj. Cervantes have guided and challenged their 5,600 Soldiers of the ‘Arctic Wolves’ to remarkable achievements this past year. We have all watched with pride and appreciation as the ‘Arctic Wolves’ exceeded all expectations in this ever-changing environment of Diyala province,” said Caslen praising the 1/25 SBCT, adding that the adaptability of the Soldiers was key during to the successful transfer of responsibility with the Diyala Security Forces and the change of mission as U.S. forces moved out of cities and villages as part of the security agreement.
Col. David Funk, Commander, 3/2 SBCT, thanked the leaders and Soldiers of the 1/25 SBCT for their work forming partnerships, operations they performed and projects they completed in Diyala.
“I must also thank the citizens and leaders, both civilian and military, of Diyala province. You also have sacrificed so much to see freedom and democracy to take hold,” said Funk. “Your courage is and inspiration to all of us. We thank you for your commitment to peace and the principals of freedom.”
During his comments, Funk promised the Diyala leaders his units would maintain and build upon the relationships developed by the “Arctic Wolves”.
“To the warriors and leaders of the Arctic Wolves, those remaining to the end and those already at home or en route, I thank each of you for your dedication, discipline, compassion, sacrifice and selfless service,” said Col. Burt Thompson, Commander, 1/25 SBCT. “Along side your Iraqi partners you never failed, you never faltered, you never wavered from the goals we established and for that I am eternally grateful.”
Raider Family Center
The News Tribune reports on a new resource center established for the families of soldiers with the 4/2 SBCT.
The recently organized center caters to families from the Iraq-bound 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division – the Stryker unit nicknamed the Raiders – and aims to be a one-stop shop for people inquiring about family resources available at Fort Lewis. It consolidates offices that were previously spread across post.The building holds an office for an FRSA for each battalion, a conference room with small tables, a big-screen TV, a rack of DVDs and books for kids, and a play area with toys. [...]
“We’re the go-to place for families,” said Jeannie Swezer, the FRSA for the brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment. “We don’t want the family to have to paddle around looking for resources, places for events, stuff like that.”
56th SBCT Still Returning
There are many new stories from media outlets across PA regarding the return of the 56th SBCT.
First group of Stryker Brigade troops coming home today - Meadville Tribune
TROOPS UPDATE: Joyous reunion as Stryker Brigade soldiers return - Meadville Tribune
Johnstown Welcomes Home Stryker Brigade - WJACtv.com
Local soldier welcomed home - Lebanon Daily News
Stryker Memorial
The News Tribune covered the memorial held at Ft. Lewis this week to honor four 5/2 SBCT soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
In the final hours of their lives, four Fort Lewis Stryker soldiers were helping save others.The soldiers from 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division had arrived at a cholera-stricken area of southern Afghanistan to provide injections to sick villagers.
An hour later, the four men were dead.
A massive bomb hidden in a culvert under the road ripped through their 20-ton Stryker vehicle as they returned to base on Aug. 25. The blast instantly killed the four on board: Capt. John L. Hallett III, Capt. Cory J. Jenkins, Sgt. 1st Class Ronald W. Sawyer and Spc. Dennis M. Williams.
Homecoming Continues
The Daily News Miner provides an update on the expected return of more 1/25 SBCT troops.
FAIRBANKS — About 1,000 soldiers from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry will be returning to Fort Wainwright during the next four days.But this group of soldiers returning from Iraq’s Diyala province after a year-long deployment will not have the same three days of leave that earlier groups had.
Effective with soldiers that returned Saturday, U.S. Army Alaska cut time with family to 12 hours. Returning soldiers then begin reintegration training, during which they are given mental and physical health evaluations.
MSNBC Embed
It appears that MSNBC's Richard Engel is currently embedded with the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan. His report also mentions being on NBC Nightly News, so keep an eye out for that footage.
KABUL, Afghanistan – It is a brutal first impression. The moment my feet touch the sand as I step out of a Stryker armored vehicle, I hear an explosion. It’s far away; about half a mile. I hear a big deep thud and look over my shoulder. I see a cloud of brown dust expanding in an Afghan village.The village walls and houses are all made of mud. One of the houses has just exploded into a brown cloud. American soldiers were inside the booby-trapped structure. Within seconds, we hear radio traffic.
One American is dead. Others are wounded. The radio calls are urgent, but formal. No names. They don’t use names so soldiers who listen to the radio don’t become upset in the midst of what is now a rescue operation to save the wounded soldiers.
I’ve been here for less than five minutes.
Update: Here's the video report that aired on NBC Nightly News on 9/8.
Stars & Stripes in Afghanistan
Stars & Stripes has a new article describing the activities of the 5/2 SBCT in the Zabul province.
ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan — It’s the forgotten province in a nation time seems to have forgotten.And until the recent boost of U.S. forces to Afghanistan, it’s the province that the military paid less attention to than others in this ongoing war.
But that is changing with the recent arrival of the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, out of Fort Lewis, Wash. — the first Stryker brigade to be deployed to the rural, poverty-stricken 6,500-square-mile province in southeastern Afghanistan.
Video: Strykers and ANSF Hold Village Elder Shura
DVIDS also has a new video featuring the 5/2 SBCT. Description:
Package about U.S. forces working with Afghan National Security Forces to create a better life for the Afghan people.
Video: Loading Strykers
DVIDS has a new video of the 1/25 SBCT. Description:
Package made from "Loading Strykers" b-roll about over 100 Stryker vehicles being loaded and transported to another base so the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division can head back home to Fort Wrainwright in Alaska. Produced by Spc. Christopher Bruce.
56th SBCT Transitioning
Local papers have a number of stories featuring Stryker soldiers.
War still a fresh memory for Stryker brigade - Centre Daily Times
Stryker Brigade Soldier Reflects on Return Home - WPMT
56th Stryker Bridgade gets patriotic homecoming in Carlisle - PennLive.com
Two soldiers not around for hero's welcome - Meadville Tribune
Stryker soldiers home after grueling journey - Meadville Tribune
More 1/25 SBCT Soldiers Return
The Daily News Miner covers two separate arrivals.
- More homecomings for Fairbanks' Stryker soldiers - newsminer.com
- Another round of Strykers returns to Fort Wainwright - newsminer.com
SPC Jordan M. Shay
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Jordan M. Shay, 22, of Salisbury, Mass., died Sept. 3 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. Shay was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
I had been following Shay's updates on Twitter and his blog, Through Amber Lenses. Folks have been leaving messages in the comments section of his last entry.
Fellow blogger and former 5/20 INF soldier Alex at Army of Dude knew Shay and has posted a nice tribute to him titled, Through Amber Lenses, A Light.
Amesbury soldier killed in Iraq - - BostonHerald.com
Soldier recalled as 'ray of sunshine' - - NewburyportNews.com
North Shore soldier dies in vehicle rollover in Iraq - The Boston Globe
Two from Fort Lewis die in vehicle rollover - The News Tribune
Soldier killed in Iraq coming home - BostonHerald.com
Communities salute as Amesbury's Sgt. Jordan Shay laid to rest - EagleTribune.com
Friends, families mourn fallen 3/2 soldiers - FOB Tacoma
SSG Todd W. Selge
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Todd W. Selge, 25, of Burnsville, Minn., died Sept. 3 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. Selge was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Two from Fort Lewis die in vehicle rollover - The News Tribune
Burnsville soldier killed in Iraq; 'gung-ho about the military' - - TwinCities.com
Burnsville soldier dies in Iraq on second tour - StarTribune.com
Fort Lewis Stryker soldier killed Thursday was a husband, dad and gung-ho G.I - The News Tribune
Burnsville soldier remembered as a patriot - TwinCities.com
Friends, families mourn fallen 3/2 soldiers - FOB Tacoma
In Afghanistan
Seattle Times reporter Hal Bernton will be spending the next month in Afghanistan. I don't know if it will happen, but I'm hoping he connects with the 5/2 SBCT while he's there. Bookmark his blog, Afghanistan Journal, to keep track of his travels there.
(via FOB Tacoma)
56th SBCT Homecoming Continues
There are a number of new articles sharing homecoming stories of soldiers from the 56th SBCT.
- ‘It’s great to be home’ - The Altoona Mirror
- Carlisle area Stryker Brigade unit back in U.S. - The Sentinel Online
- 56th Stryker Brigade field artillery unit returns from Iraq - PennLive.com
- Families happy to see returning soldiers, however briefly - PennLive.com
- Soldier keeps bond with Stryker unit - The Patriot-News
2SCR Soldier Encourages Others to Reach Out, Get Help
By Mary Markos (USAG Grafenwoehr)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - Capt. Emily Stehr, a physical therapist with the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, is in the business of healing. But five months after returning from Iraq, she was struggling with her own internal wounds of war that had not healed. She decided to kill herself.
What stopped Stehr was not the physical pain she would have endured, but the realization of the emotional pain she would inflict on the children of her close friends when their parents would tell them, "Aunt Emily in not around because she killed herself."
"I was not willing to put that pain on those children," Stehr said. "I'd inflict the pain on my mom, my dad, all my other loved ones, but those kids, I can't do it."
What Stehr did do was check into Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and began the process of healing.
PFC Jordan M. Brochu
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, Maine, died Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Brochu was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Fort Lewis Stryker soldier killed in Afghanistan - The News Tribune
Roadside bomb kills three Fort Lewis soldiers - FOB Tacoma
Two more Fort Lewis soldiers killed by bomb in Afghanistan Monday - The News Tribune
Fort Lewis mourns three Stryker soldiers - The News Tribune
Three fallen Stryker soldiers remembered at Fort Lewis - KOMO News
SPC Jonathan D. Welch
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Jonathan D. Welch, 19, of Yorba Linda, Calif., died Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Welch was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Roadside bomb kills three Fort Lewis soldiers - FOB Tacoma
Two more Fort Lewis soldiers killed by bomb in Afghanistan Monday - The News Tribune
Fort Lewis mourns three Stryker soldiers - The News Tribune
Three fallen Stryker soldiers remembered at Fort Lewis - KOMO News
SPC Tyler R. Walshe
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Tyler R. Walshe, 21, of Shasta Calif., died Aug. 31 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Roadside bomb kills three Fort Lewis soldiers - FOB Tacoma
Two more Fort Lewis soldiers killed by bomb in Afghanistan Monday - The News Tribune
Fort Lewis mourns three Stryker soldiers - The News Tribune
