PFC Brian R. Bates, Jr.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Brian R. Bates, Jr., 20, of Gretna, La., died Oct. 27 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Fort Lewis Memorial: Going back to Louisiana - The News Tribune
First Mechanized Exercise Yudh Abhyas 09 Concludes
Story by Staff Sgt. Crista Yazzie
CAMP BUNDELA, India - Exercise Yudh Abhyas 09, an annual bilateral battalion-level field training exercise between the Indian and U.S. armies, and the largest deployment of Strykers outside of Iraq and Afghanistan for Pacific Rim Forces, concluded with a ceremony at the Babina Indian army base, Oct. 27.
This year, the exercise joined two mechanized units for the first time, Soldiers from the Indian Army's 7th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, 94th Armored Brigade, 31st Armored Division and the U.S. Army's 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
"This exercise indeed is a landmark. For the Indian army, this is the biggest we have done with any foreign army," said keynote speaker Lt. Gen. A.S. Sekhon, Indian army director of general military operations, who was joined by counterpart Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, commanding general, U.S. Army, Pacific.
"This has been an historic and exciting edition of Yudh Abhyas, with the inclusion of the Strykers from the U.S. Army," said Mixon. "This fighting vehicle is fully network-capable, and it has performed superbly in Iraq and Afghanistan and can be prepared for any contingency."
Deadly Mission
Jonathon Burch with Reuters has a long article on the mission in Afghanistan that took the lives of seven soldiers from the 5/2 SBCT.
The mission was simple.Some 20 U.S. soldiers were to patrol a riverbed in the dead of night, camp until morning, and provide backup to Afghan troops and their Canadian mentors in a clearing operation in Chahar Bagh village, an insurgent hotbed on the outskirts of Kandahar City.
Less than 12 hours later, seven of the soldiers and their Afghan interpreter would be dead, killed by a massive homemade bomb buried deep under pebbles along the dried-out riverbed.
PFC Christopher I. Walz
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25, of Vancouver, WA, died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
President meets families of Vancouver soldier, others killed in Afghanistan - OregonLive.com
Vancouver soldier killed in Afghanistan - Columbian.com
Slain soldier's family returns to Vancouver - The Columbian
SPC Jared D. Stanker
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, of Evergreen Park, Ill, died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
Soldier from Evergreen Park killed in Afghanistan - Chicago Tribune
SGT Patrick O. Williamson
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, of Broussard, LA, died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
Family mourns NI soldier - The Daily Advertiser
Local soldier dies in combat - The Daily Iberian
Soldier to make final journey - The Advertiser
SGT Issac B. Jackson
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, of Plattsburg, Mo, died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
Plattsburg soldier killed in Afghanistan - Kansas City Star
Plattsburg soldier honored and mourned - Photo Gallery - KansasCity.com
SGT Dale R. Griffin
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, of Terre Haute, IN, died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
Coming home: Sgt. Dale Griffin returns to USA - Terre Haute Tribune Star
Somber return - Roanoke Times
SGT Fernando Delarosa
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, of Alamo, Texas, of South Ozone Park, N.Y., died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
Alamo serviceman killed in Afghanistan - TheMonitor.com
SSG Luis M. Gonzalez
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, of South Ozone Park, N.Y., died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces 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:
Queens Loses Another Son To War - Queens Tribune
5/2 SBCT Suffers Casualties
Ft. Lewis public affairs has confirmed that the eight casualties in Afghanistan are all from the 5/2 SBCT. No additional details have been released.
Related:
8 US troops killed in bomb attacks against Strykers - KOMO News
Brigade loses eight in one day - TheNewsTribune.com
2/25 SBCT Prepares for Summer Deployment
Gregg Kakesako of the Honolulu Star Bulletin takes a look at the training of the 2/25 SBCT.
POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii » Col. Malcolm Frost, preparing for a summer deployment to Iraq, faces a daunting task after losing nearly half of his Stryker brigade to transfers and attrition.Frost also realizes that his 2nd Stryker Warrior Brigade Combat Team could be making history when the U.S. draws down its force of more than 143,500 soldiers to a 50,000 "noncombat" force in August.
"I see this as a tremendous honor," said Frost, 43, last week as he observed a platoon from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry, practice entering a faux Iraqi town and clearing several of its structures on this vast training range on the Big Island.
"It's finishing the mission and finishing the mission with honor," he said. "We will leave it under Iraqi control where the government is sovereign and free. There is a good chance we will be a part of history."
Training Complete Between Romanian, Bulgarian, U.S. Troops
[There are some great photos - 46 in all - if you click through to the source article at DVIDS.]
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Osvaldo Sanchez
NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – Joint Task Force-East wrapped up another successful combined training rotation during a closing ceremony here, Oct. 22. A week prior, Oct. 14, was the closing ceremony in Romania.
Service members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Romanian and Bulgarian land forces took part in this year's concurrent exercises. JTF-E is an element of the U.S. European Command's Theater Security Engagement Program that provides training for Romanians, Bulgarians and Americans to help build interoperability and foster professional partnerships.
The men and women, dressed in their combat uniforms, were standing at attention in a formation saluting the national flags for the last time. They were preparing to return to their home bases after completing their last exercise, Oct. 20.
They were the last of four rotational units to cycle through the various training activities facilitated by the task force.
Units came from the U.S. and Germany to complete three main objectives for the combined training; combat, construction and medical assistance.
Advances in Prostheses
Christian Hill of The Olympian profiles two 3/2 SBCT soldiers who were determined not to let serious injury stop them from leading active lives.
A doctor posed a simple question to Army Maj. A.J. Tong during his recovery from severe injuries in Iraq.“What do you want to do?” the doctor asked.
“Everything I did before,” Tong recalls responding.
Life had irrevocably changed for Tong, 33, who lives in Yelm. An especially lethal kind of roadside bomb hit him on a road to Baghdad on Aug. 18, 2007, blowing off his right leg below the knee and nearly killing him.
1/25 SBCT Soldier recovering
The Daily News Miner profiles a soldier with the 1-5 INF, 1/25 SBCT who was injured in Iraq and is still recovering.
May 18 began like many others in Iraq, with Montoya’s platoon of about 20 other soldiers ordered into a residential area of the city around noon. The “punisher platoon” had been there before. It was an area known for grenade attacks, and two days before, someone had thrown a suspicious rock at the soldiers as some kind of test.“That’s the only thing we could figure out, see our reaction times,” Montoya said.
The platoon dismounted from their three Stryker vehicles to get a better view of the area. A medic was the first one to notice the grenade.
“I was watching the rooftops, and the next thing I knew I was hearing my medic yelling, so I looked to my medic and he was pointing his weapon at an alleyway,” Montoya said. “As soon as I look over to my right, I saw a grenade with a big stick.”
Videos: 4/2 SBCT
DIVIDS has a couple new videos featuring soldiers from the 4/2 SBCT.
Heading to Afghanistan
Stars & Stripes caught up with the 2nd SCR following the announcement that the brigade will deploy to Afghanistan next year.
VILSECK, Germany — The brigade the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment will replace in southern Afghanistan next summer is encountering stiff resistance from the Taliban, according to the 2nd Cav commander, Col. James R. Blackburn Jr.The Defense Department announced this week that the 2nd Cav will replace another Stryker unit, the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, in southern Afghanistan. [...]
“I’d expect a different environment when we get there. It will be different after a year of sorting itself out with a new presence of security forces,” he said. [...]
“We are not preparing just to do lethal operations or only humanitarian missions. We are preparing for full-spectrum operations,” Blackburn said.
Interview With Hal Bernton
KUOW recently interviewed Seattle Times reporter Hal Bernton about his experiences in Afghanistan, which included an embed with the 5/2 SBCT.
(via FOB Tacoma)
Indian Army Division Leads IED Workshop During Exercise
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Jackson
CAMP BUNDELA, India – The Indian army's 31st Armor Division led an improvised explosive device workshop and a demonstration that familiarized its personnel and 2nd squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division's personnel with different types of IEDs and equipment to counter IEDs during Exercise Yudh Abhyas here Oct. 19.
The workshop started out with a two hour instructional presentation in a classroom setting and moved to a range for an Indian army explosives team demonstration and a static display of the explosive team's equipment.
"It was interesting and good to know because anyone can come in contact with an IED," said Pfc. John Mould, intelligence analyst, Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. "It's good to see someone else's techniques, tactics and procedures."
Mould added, "I'm new to the Army and 2-14th Cavalry is my first unit, so this was my first IED demonstration."
The demonstration only took about 30 minutes, but the very technical process involved an explosives detection team, which included an explosives sniffing dog, several different bomb technicians, and a bomb vehicle control team.
Once the detection team discovered that explosives were present, the technicians moved in to confirm and detonate the explosive device.
"This demonstration was amazing," said Lt. Vignesh Jagadale, engineer platoon commander. "It is normally presented to Indian army officers."
After the demonstration, 31st Armor Division had a static display set-up so the Soldiers could get a hands-on experience with the detection and control devices. There were also different types of IEDs and materials used to make them.
SPC Kyle A. Coumas
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Kyle A. Coumas, 22, of Lockeford, Calif., died Oct. 21 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Bomb kills Fort Lewis Stryker soldier - FOB Tacoma
Another 1st Battalion casualty from Fort Lewis - Seattle Times
Last words shared at funeral - Recordnet.com
Funeral Procession for Spc. Kyle A. Coumas - Calaveras News
Fallen Stryker soldier: ‘Not once did he quit or complain’ - The News Tribune
SPC Michael A. Dahl Jr.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Michael A. Dahl Jr., 23, of Moreno Valley, Calif., died Oct. 17 in Argahndab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Related:
Bomb kills Fort Lewis soldier in Afghanistan - FOB Tacoma
Fort Lewis soldier dies in Afghanistan - Seattle Times
23-year-old soldier from Moreno Valley dies in Afghanistan battle - Valley News
Moreno Valley soldier dies in Afghanistan - North County Times
Farewell to another 'good soldier' - TheNewsTribune.com
Fort Lewis Strykers remember their own - KOMO News
Deployment Orders
Today the DoD officially announced that the 2nd SCR will deploy to Afghanistan in the spring/summer time frame.
The Department of Defense announced today major units scheduled to deploy as part of upcoming rotations of forces operating in Afghanistan. The announcement involves two active duty brigade combat teams totaling 7,700 personnel, and one National Guard brigade with approximately 3,500 personnel. The scheduled rotation for these forces will begin in the spring of 2010.Specific units receiving deployment orders include:
2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (SCR), Vilseck, Germany
The spring/summer rotation of the 1st BCT, 101st Airborne Division (3,700 personnel) and the 2nd SCR (4,000 personnel) continues the U.S. commitment to maintain the current level of forces assigned to the
NATO-International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Related:
Vilseck-based Stryker regiment tapped for Afghan rotation - Stars & Stripes
The Reintegration Process
The Daily News Miner checks in with the families from the 1/25 SBCT.
More than 600 troops from Task Force 49 returned to Fort Wainwright during the summer. And another group of more than 4,000 soldiers from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, returned to post in September after a yearlong mission in Iraq. The Stryker brigade deployment was the largest in Alaska military history.The Army, now used to a heavier deployment rotation after eight years at war, has set up a reintegration process for soldiers that starts even before they set foot back in the United States. With soldiers going on yearlong deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan every 18 months or so, the Army now offers everything from marriage retreats to classes on economic responsibility to help troops make an easier transition from combat to the comforts of home.
“This one’s a little easier,” said Melanie Terrill, a Family Readiness Group leader for Charlie Company, 1-24 Infantry while her husband, Capt. Dale Terrill, was deployed to Iraq. “Sadly, it becomes more normal the more they’re gone.”
There Until the End
The Honolulu Advertiser has a nice piece on what the role of the 2/25 SBCT might be in Iraq as the US presence there decreases.
As part of what is advertised to be a "noncombat" force, the Stryker Brigade will have a role largely focusing on advising and assisting Iraqi security forces and civil agencies.Frost said he's being augmented with more than 45 field-grade officers — majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels — who will be part of upward of 25 "stability training teams."
There's been a lot of advise and assist operations to this point, but instead of being involved in actual operations at the tactical level, the new training teams will have more of a strategic overwatch role.
Brother to Brother Re-enlistment
Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth
BAGHDAD – Becoming a "lifer" in the U.S. Army is a big deal. It's an even bigger statement when you make that commitment in the beginning of your second tour in Iraq.
To Sgt. 1st Class Philip Neal, a native of Gibson City, Ill., now the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division's legal team non-commissioned officer-in-charge, reenlisting indefinitely wasn't the only thing that made the event special. His brother, Capt. Matthew Neal, also of Gibson City, a physical therapist with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, did the honors of reenlisting him at the al-Faw palace, here, Oct. 13.
Philip originally joined the Illinois National Guard in 1994 as a paralegal specialist to pay for college. He enjoyed his job so much he switched to active duty in December of 1997.
In 2003, he became a recruiter. Meanwhile, his brother, Matthew, wanted to be a physical therapist and decided to enlist.
Range Training in India Fires Up Strykehorse Soldiers
Story by Staff Sgt. Crista Yazzie
CAMP BUNDELA, India – From the bottom of a hill, Indian army soldiers and U.S. Soldiers charged up to its crest, shooting and working their way together towards a common target at the top. Their positions covered by suppressive fire from two Stryker vehicles.
This uphill range is only one of a spectrum of Indian army ranges U.S. Army Soldiers had an opportunity to train with during the first mechanized Exercise Yudh Abhyas 09, an annual battalion-level exercise involving the two ground forces. The exercise, running from Oct. 12-27, allows participants to conduct multi-echelon, full-spectrum, combined operations.
This year, the Soldiers of the Indian Army's, 31st Armored Division, 94th Armored Brigade, hosted visiting Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army's 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
"This exercise enables us to gain a relationship with the Indian Army so they can see how our Strykers operate and we can see how they operate as far as their maneuvering of vehicles and their infantry. This way we both gain further respect for each other," said Staff Sgt. Wayne Dively, Range Safety Officer, assigned to Troop C, Strykehorse battalion.
Stryker Soldier Featured
The Livingston Daily has an update on Spc. Ryan Peplinski, a soldier serving with the 1-17 INF, 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan.
For the Peplinski family of Marion Township, news about their son's exploits in Afghanistan is typically scary.In his second tour of duty in Operation Enduring Freedom, Army Spc. Ryan Peplinski — a 2003 graduate of Hartland High School — is no stranger to danger.
Since he deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, on July 14, his family has heard secondhand how the Army gunner has been shot at, had his vehicle blown up by tank mines and was left unconscious and lacerated.
In a letter home received Saturday, Ryan Peplinski wrote that he's set to receive a Purple Heart for injuries he received in a late-August attack.
Video: 2nd SCR Participates in Joint Task Force-East Training
Package from DVIDS about how Soldiers of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment based in Vilseck, Germany, have been training for the past three months in Romania and Bulgaria as part of their preparations for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan this spring. Produced by Sgt. Marla Keown.
Marysville Native Serves in Baghdad
Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth
BAGHDAD – Pfc. Robert Moritz, a radio telephone operator with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, awoke one afternoon in Nasir Wa Salam, when the driver of his Stryker vehicle barged in with news of a mission.
No stranger to this kind of wake-up call, the native of Marysville, Wash., put on his gear, readied his M4 carbine and headed out to where the rest of the members of the scout platoon were waiting.
Even with a mission as simple as escorting interpreters to a nearby joint combat outpost, the team must have every aspect of the mission worked out. That's where the importance of Moritz's job comes into play.
"Communication is the key to success. It's important that everybody knows what's going on within the battalion," Moritz said. "It's important that the [platoon leader] communicates to all right people about the situation."
Not only is Moritz an RTO, he's an infantryman whose training included more detailed infantry skills, such as performing combat missions in an urban environment. Even though the focus of U.S. forces has altered from a combat force to one of assisting and advising the Iraqi army, Moritz and the rest of his platoon trained hard for the deployment; despite the fact that they're all fairly new to the battalion. The pre-deployment rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. was the first time the platoon trained together as a team and since then they've continued to grow.
Medics Polish Skills During TC3 Workshop in India
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Jackson
CAMP BUNDELA, India – Medical personnel from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, and the Indian army's 31 Armored Division gathered to share information on the most resent medical techniques and applications of medical aids at Camp Bundela, India, Oct. 12.
The workshop is part of Yudh Abhyas 09, a bilateral exercise involving the armies of India and the United States.
The workshop covered material equivalent to the U.S. Army's Tactical Combat Casualty Care, or TC3, and allowed the group to receive insight from subject matter experts and practice applying the newest trauma bandages, chest seals, pelvic slings, traction splints to each other and mannequins.
"TC3 is more advanced than the typical self aid, buddy aid and combat lifesaver course," said 2nd Lt. Lawrence Williams, medical operations officer assigned to HHT, 2nd Sqdn. 14th Cav. Regt. "It shows how newer medical aids are used."
There were many different cutting edge technology aids introduced and trained with during the workshop.
2nd SCR Participates in Joint Task Force-East Training
MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIRFIELD, Romania – Soldiers of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment based in Vilseck, Germany, have been training for the past three months in Romania and Bulgaria as part of their preparations for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan this spring.
U.S. Soldiers offloaded 30 Stryker combat vehicles in early August at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airfield in eastern Romania and have since been conducting combined training with their host-nation counterparts. Soldiers of the 4th Squadron, 2nd SCR are participating in Joint Task Force-East's third annual training exercise in Romania while Soldiers of the 2nd Squadron, 2nd SCR conduct similar training in Bulgaria.
Approximately 450 U.S. Soldiers and support personnel from the 4/2 SCR are training side-by-side with members of the Romanian Land Forces 33rd Posada Mountain Battalion based out of Curtea De Arges, Romania, at the Babadag Training Area, about 75 km north of the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airfield.
Engineers save trapped accident victim
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – Soldiers of 18th Engineer Company, Task Force 296, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division assisted in the rescue of a local man who became trapped in the truck he was riding in after being involved in a collision west of Jalula in Diyala province.
While conducting a convoy, the Soldiers noticed multiple Iraqi Police vehicles near a truck that looked to be damaged.
A medic in the convoy was dispatched to the victim to provide a medical assessment and aid. It was then determined that the victim was pinned into the vehicle at the waist by the cab of the truck.
Using a Stryker vehicle and tow strap, the Soldiers were able to separate the cab far enough to free the victim.
After the victim was freed, the Iraqi Police and locals thanked the Soldiers for their assistance.
“This is a great example of the cooperation being seen around Diyala province,” said 2nd Lt. Jennifer Palmeri, the spokeswoman for 3/2 SBCT. “Though U.S. Forces were not contacted to go to the scene for help, they saw a situation in which they could be of aid, and they worked with the Iraqi Police at the scene to get the incident resolved quickly and safely.”
Afghanistan Journal
Hal Bernton of the Seattle Times has two new blog entries re: his time embedded with the 5/2 SBCT.
Bridging the Divide
Stars & Stripes has an article and photo gallery featuring the 1-14 CAV, 3/2 SBCT as it operates in northern Iraq.
Khamees’ Kurdish counterparts then jumped in and the meeting descended into chaotic bickering, the cross talk growing so loud and rapid-fire that the interpreter stopped trying to translate. The meeting abruptly broke up, and the Arab and Kurdish factions ate lunch separately at the base dining hall.It was a stark reminder of the monumental task the U.S. faces in trying to mediate what so far has remained an intractable land dispute.
Nearly two months after Gen. Ray Odierno, the top commander in Iraq, announced plans to establish trilateral patrols and checkpoints manned by U.S., Arab and Kurdish forces to relieve tension in areas claimed by both Arabs and Kurds, negotiations are moving slowly and communities in the region that would benefit from increased cooperation and trade continue to languish.
A Different Kind of Enemy
Daphne Benoit, an AFP reporter embedded with the 5/2 SBCT, has a new article. I've never seen a Stryker vehicle referred to as a "van" before.
At the front of the convoy, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles equipped with reinforced V-shaped bodywork to deflect explosions were tasked with opening the route for the more lightly armoured "Stryker" vans.Progress was expected to be slow but impossible without the MRAPs: improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the weapon of choice for the Taliban, are the primary cause of international troop deaths.
"It's going to take us 12 hours," said Staff Sergeant John Jenkins from infantry company Charlie 2-1.
But at 9:00 am, destination confidential for security reasons, the latter half of the convoy still hadn't moved. One of the MRAPs was stuck in sand near the base.
After four hours waiting, the heavily armed Strykers finally moved.
"Concerned Friend"
A long time reader asked us to post this rather cryptic message in the hopes that this person will call them back again. They have reason to believe he/she reads this site and will catch this message.
"Important message to 'Concerned Friend.' Please call again"
SBCT Conversion
Army Times conducted an interview with Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, who is involved in the conversion of heavy brigades to SBCTs.
The origin of it starts with the Quadrennial Defense Review. One of the things we were challenged to do is give the Army more capability for irregular warfare and counterinsurgency. We ought to consider more movement from our heavy formations to our lighter versions, and this point is personified by Stryker.We will convert one HBCT to a Stryker brigade in the near term and another in the next three to four years. This is ... not something that is measured in one particular step.
We think the basic design of the Stryker brigade has stood the test of time and the tests of combat.
3/2 SBCT Operational Update
Scott Fontaine of The News Tribune caught up with officers from the 3/2 SBCT via telephone.
Fort Lewis’ 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division is seeing far less violence and conducting fewer operations on its third deployment to Iraq.The Stryker brigade of about 4,000 soldiers is running American military operations in Diyala province. For many who fought amid the daily chaos of two years ago, the difference is stark.
“Most of us are going through a real culture shock,” Maj. Matthew Holly said in a telephone interview from his office at Forward Operating Base Warhorse. “It’s an almost 180-degree turn in Baqouba than two years ago.”
Photos: Strykehorse Soldiers Give Indian Army First Look at Strykers
DVIDS have a new album featuring Stryker soldiers as they arrive in India. Description:
Soldiers assigned to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, prepare vehicles for unloading in preparation for Exercise Yudh Abhyas 09 in Babina, India, Oct. 10. YA09, which is scheduled for Oct. 12-27, is a bilateral exercise involving the Armies of India and the United States. The primary goal of the exercise is to develop and expand upon the relationship between the Indian and U.S. Army.
Partnership Social Brings Diyala Leaders Together
A luncheon brought together members of the government of Iraq and Iraqi security forces with members of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Oct. 7.
The event, named "Partnership for Success", served as a celebration for the future partnership in Diyala province.
The event was attended by the deputy provincial governor of Diyala and the director of police for the province, along with many other local officials and shaykhs.
"Events like this showcase the strong bonds that make the partnership in the province work so well. Our ability as partners to come together to simply socialize really helps make this relationship one of comrades and friends," said 2nd Lt. Jennifer Palmeri, spokeswoman for 3/2 SBCT.
Iraq veteran delivers inspirational speech to Dragoons
2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office
Vilseck, Germany – More than 100 Dragoons from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment gathered at the Vilseck Theater Monday Sept 28 to hear some thought provoking words from a very courageous and equally awe-inspiring Soldier, Lt. Col. Greg Gadson.
In May of 2007 Lt. Col Gadson was the Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion 32nd Field Artillery, Baghdad to conduct security force operations. Gadson’s vehicle was struck by a roadside improvised explosive device, while returning from a memorial service for two fallen Soldiers from another unit. Gadson was blown from the vehicle, when the bomb went off. He credits his Soldiers and their quick response with him being alive today.
“I am here because my team saved my life,” he said. He also admitted that this is a quality that can be found in most Soldiers today.
“My team is no different than all of you sitting out there today,” he said.
Redeployment Ceremony
The Daily News Miner has an article and photos covering the official redeployment ceremony conducted by the 1/25 SBCT.
Thousands of soldiers and their families packed into the arena to witness the formal uncasing of the colors, the removal of a covering from the brigade’s flag that signifies the troops officially have returned to work at the post.The 1-25th’s yearlong mission in Iraq’s Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, focused on counterinsurgency operations and rebuilding the infrastructure of the country. After two years of preparation and action in Iraq, Col. Burt Thompson, commander of the brigade, said he was pleased to sum up the deployment in two words: Mission accomplished.
“Words simply cannot describe what these soldiers have done as individuals and as a team,” he said.
Related:
Soldier recalls intense night in Iraq - newsminer.com
Make A Soldier Smile
The News Tribune has details on a volunteer group collecting donations to send to the 5/2 SBCT.
Volunteers in Puyallup are collecting snacks, books, playing cards, used CDs and DVDs, and other items for soldiers of Fort Lewis’ 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Afghanistan.But the deadline for making donations to Operation Make A Soldier Smile is coming up fast – it’s Monday.
Donations of food, music, games, stamps, pens, envelopes and personal hygiene supplies may be dropped off at Puyallup City Hall, 333 S. Meridian, or at the Puyallup Chamber of Commerce, 323 N. Meridian, Suite A, according to a flier.
Memorial for Stryker Soldiers
Ft. Lewis held a memorial yesterday for three soldiers from the 5/2 SBCT.
- Three more fallen Stryker soldiers honored - KOMO News
- Fort Lewis Memorial honors three - The News Tribune
Deployment Orders
Today the Pentagon announced the next group of military units scheduled to deploy to Iraq beginning next summer, which includes the 2/25 SBCT based in Hawaii.
Related:
Schofield Stryker brigade will return to Iraq - Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Stryker team at Schofield will deploy to Iraq - The Honolulu Advertiser
SBCT Conversion
This article from Strategy Page is primarily about the conversion of heavy brigades to Stryker brigades, but also provides a nice overview of the manpower and equipment that comprise a SBCT.
SBCT’s comprise 3 Stryker infantry battalions, each having 36 Stryker vehicles distributed among 3 companies (12 each). Nine Stryker Mobile Gun vehicles, mounting 105 mm guns are there for anti-tank and infantry support roles. Nine Strykers, equipped with guided anti-tank missiles, form an anti-tank company. There’s also an artillery battalion with 18 towed 155mm Howitzers, a support units (usually company size) for Medical, Maintenance and Distribution, Headquarters, Signal, and Engineers. There is Reconnaissance squadron comprised of 42 vehicles. Total brigade manpower is 3,900 troops.
Strykers to Deploy to India for Exercise
By Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2009 – The Army plans to deploy 17 of its Stryker combat vehicles this month to India for the first exercise of its kind in the country.
This is also the largest deployment of the Strykers outside of those sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, Army officials said.
“It’s one of the most important training exercises that we’ve done with the Indian military to date,” Army Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon said today at a news conference here. Mixon commands all Army forces in the U.S. Pacific Command area.
About 200 troops from the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, based out of Hawaii, will train alongside the Indian army in combat maneuvers using the Strykers, Mixon said. An Indian army unit of about the same size will join the Stryker crews in Babina, about 275 miles southeast of New Delhi, for the two-week exercise starting Oct. 12. The two armies will share tactics for using the Strykers in combat, as well as its integrated computer network system, Mixon said.
The exercise will end with a live-fire demonstration of the Stryker.
Latest From Afghanistan
Hal Bernton of the Seattle Times has a new article featuring the 5/2 SBCT.
CHAHARQULBA, Afghanistan — As the sky hinted at dawn, U.S. soldiers went hunting for Taliban in the Arghandab Valley. They had satellite-linked monocles to display the locations of platoons. They could summon an aerial drone to buzz overhead with a surveillance camera. They could call on Kiowa helicopters for search-and-destroy missions.One of their most valuable assets, however, was an informant: a farmer with a taste for opium.
"It all came down to one guy who said, 'The Taliban stole my motorcycle.' He was high, and he was pissed, and he gave us the tip on where to find them," said Sgt. Kenneth Rickman, 34, of Vandalia, Ill.
Culture Shock
Scott Fontaine of The News Tribune conducted a telephone interview with leaders from the 3/2 SBCT in Iraq.
Fort Lewis' 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division is witnessing far less violence and conducting fewer operations on its third deployment to Iraq. [...]"Most of us are going through a real culture shock," Maj. Matthew Holly said in a telephone interview from his office at Forward Operating Base Warhorse. "It's an almost-180-degree turn in Baqouba than two years ago."
Strykers Adopt Desert Tan Color
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar – Stryker armored combat vehicles will soon receive a cosmetic makeover for better concealment in Iraq and Afghanistan. The current deep green color will be phased out in favor of desert tan. The first to adopt the change was revealed inside the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5, an infantry carrier vehicle that had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq.
"Safeguarding soldiers is the primary purpose for this color change," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander. "Strykers will blend into surroundings better. They're less likely to stand out like silhouettes." Produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, the eight-wheeled armored combat vehicles have been painted a foliage green color since their combat debut in 2003, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"Talks about changing the color have been ongoing since 2004," said Butts. "Painting this first Stryker helped us understand the necessary man hours, material needs and unit coordination to finally make it happen – it's our proof of principle." Every Stryker vehicle sent to the Qatar repair site will depart desert tan, once administrative requirements are complete.
In Afghanistan
Hal Bernton from the Seattle Times has two new articles with the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan.
- For troops, Afghanistan 'like Vietnam without napalm'
- For U.S. Troops in Afghanistan, home is where they make it
Camera Boy: An Army Journalist's War in Iraq
Many long time readers will recognize the name Fred Minnick. He has written a book about his experiences covering the war, including two Stryker Brigades in Northern Iraq, as an army photojournalist (view his story archives). The book, titled Camera Boy: An Army Journalist's War in Iraq, will come out in November, but is available for pre-order now. Description:
Fred Minnick spent more than a year in Iraq as a U.S. Army public affairs photojournalist, covering the good, bad and ugly sides of the conflict. With a Nikon in one hand and an M-16 in the other, he accompanied combat troops on missions ranging from raids on suspected terrorist strongholds to public relations events including the opening of a school for girls. Some of the stories made it back home, most did not.Camera Boy offers an eyewitness account of the Iraq War from a soldier with a different POV--from behind a camera and typewriter. Unfortunately, being assigned to public affairs did not shield Staff Sergeant Minnick from the horrors of war--including the deaths of two close friends--or from the devastating effects of PTSD upon his return home.
It is a story of courage, frustration (with both the military and the mainstream media), dedication and redemption. Includes 32 pages of photos taken by the author.
1/2 SCR Commemorates 65th Anniversary of Luneville Liberation
Luneville, France –Flags were flying, buttons were shining, and old-fashioned military vehicles were reliving a moment of glory in full military regalia in the small town of Lunéville, France. Last week, Soldiers of the 1st Squadron of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment based out of Rose Barracks, Germany traveled to Lunéville to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the town’s liberation and learned a little bit about their lineage in the process.
Combining the celebration with a battlefield staff ride, 66 members began their voyage by examining the effects that the Regiment had on the Lorraine campaign, a push by the 7th and 3rd U.S. Armies during their march to Germany in the summer of 1944. “This was the site where a young American lieutenant in charge of a platoon of tank destroyers killed a whole column of German armor!” said with obvious enthusiasm by Sam Doss, one of the historians given the task of bringing the old battlefield to life. Throughout the battlefield tour, the unit learned to recognize the advantages and disadvantages both had, Americans and Germans had in regards to terrain, material, and weaponry.
War Eagles visited by Polish CSM
Vilseck, Germany – The War Eagles of 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment received a visit recently from the Command Sergeant Major of the Polish Land Forces, Command Sergeant Major Jaroslaw Kolacz.
While in Germany to speak at the Warrior Leaders Course graduation at the NCO Academy in Grafenwoehr, Kolacz took the time out to meet with 1st Squadron’s Command Sergeant Major Jeremiah Inmann. Kolacz spent two days touring the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment . During his visit, Kolacz and Inmann discussed NCO development.
“This was a chance for me to get to know the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment,” Kolacz said. “I wanted to see how they train, develop NCOs and organize training.”
RSS Spurs German Partners On
2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment PAO
Vilseck, Germany – The Regimental Support Squadron (RSS) of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment put their German counterparts from the 4th Logistics Battalion through their paces recently as the squadron hosted a two-day long spur ride.
The Spur ride is a significant event for every Cavalry Trooper. It signifies The Soldiers induction into the Order of the Spur. The Order of the Spur is a Cavalry tradition within the United States Army. Soldiers serving with Cavalry units (referred to as Troopers) are inducted into the Order of the Spur after successfully completing a "Spur Ride" or for having served during combat as a member of a Cavalry unit.
Day one of the event focused on the participants land navigation skills and medical proficiency.
RSS goes for gold at German Schutzenschnur
2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment PAO
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.
2SCR Steps up Training at Task Force-East
2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment PAO
Vilseck, Germany –Troopers from the 2nd and 4th Squadrons of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment are hard at work in both Romania and Bulgaria training alongside their NATO counterparts as part of the United States European Command’s Theater Security Cooperation event known as Task Force East.
During TF-East, 2SCR Soldiers conduct multi-echelon exercises with both Romanian and Bulgarian Land Forces that encompasses the full range of conflict using the traditional gate training strategy. Each Troop or Company is teamed with its Bulgarian or Romanian counterpart for a three-week long rotation that focuses on maneuver tactics, techniques, and procedures. Together, these units train at the squad, platoon, and then company level certifying on Full Spectrum Operations tasks.
Focusing on basic combat skills provides the foundation for tactical coaching from leaders in many areas. “Leaders at all levels are very proficient at tasks that Soldiers 10 years ago weren’t,” said Lt. Col. Omar Jones, the 2nd Squadron Commander. “However, continued training of basic Soldiering skills such as mounted and dismounted battle drills and individual movement techniques are vital.”
1/25 SBCT Redeployment Ceremony
The Daily News Miner reports that the date and location of the official redeployment ceremony (a/k/a homecoming) has been set.
FAIRBANKS — U.S. Army Alaska will welcome returning soldiers back to Fairbanks next week with a redeployment ceremony at the Carlson Center.The event starts at 1 p.m. Thursday [October 8, 2009] and will feature several guest speakers including Gov. Sean Parnell; Maj. Gen. William J. Troy, the commanding general of U.S. Army Alaska; and Col. Burt Thompson, commander of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry.
Photos: 5-20 INF Joint Patrol
DVIDS has a new album featuring soldiers from the 5-20 IN, 3/2 SBCT conducting a joint patrol in Iraq.
Ft. Lewis Based Soldiers Take Over West of Baghdad
Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth
BAGHDAD – Col. John Norris took the reins from Col. Joseph Martin in a transfer of authority ceremony, Sept. 28, at the Camp Liberty Field House.
Soldiers of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, arrived in Iraq earlier this month and, following the transfer of authority ceremony, assumed responsibility for operations in the country to include providing security and strengthening the Iraqi government and its security forces.
In his outgoing speech, Col. Martin, commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, thanked his Soldiers for their dedication and hard work and ended with his confidence in the abilities of the incoming troops based out of Fort Lewis, Wash.
"The "Raiders" of the 4th Brigade will serve with distinction and achieve great progress while deployed in Baghdad," he said.
