Task Force Wings Conduct a Large-scale Partnered Air Assault
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – By 7:50 a.m. helicopters inserted the last of more than 300 Iraqi security forces and U.S. Soldiers into the morning's objective – four towns along a seam of territory spanning Iraq's northern provinces of Diyala and Salah ad-Din.
Five hours later, the combined air assault, Operation "Tomahawk Condor," was mission complete having confiscated six illegal weapons and detaining four suspected terrorists.
Approximately 100 Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 19th Iraqi Army Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and more than 200 Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, conducted the Iraqi-led air assault mission from Contingency Operating Location Grizzly, Diyala province, Iraq, Feb 17.
Additional Stryker Vehicle Protection?
130 Strykers with MRAP-type protection by 2011 - Army Times
If the Army approves funding to keep the production line steady, industry can deliver 130 Stryker vehicles with “MRAP-like” protection in time for the next Stryker brigade’s deployment, sources said.
The Army is nearing a decision on whether to give the flat-bottomed Stryker a double V-shaped hull, which would provide protection equivalent to that of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, sources said.
Memorial for Sgt. Adam J. Ray
Stryker soldier called 'nothing short of excellent’ - The News Tribune
Ray died in southern Afghanistan as his battalion moved from Kandahar to Helmand province to join the largest offensive operation of the nine-year war. Operation Moshtarak, a joint NATO-Afghan mission to clear Taliban insurgents from the Marjah region, began four days after Ray’s death.Speakers at the memorial service gave little indication as to what caused Ray’s death, but his parents said in a statement that military investigators told them their son was clearing a culvert so his unit could pass safely over it.
“We find some comfort in knowing that one of Adam’s very best friends, Sgt. David Jones, was with him until the very end and tells us that Adam continued to crack jokes and laugh with them,” Jim and Donna Ray wrote.
Video: Convoy for Operation Moshtarak
Package about the 402nd Brigade Support Battalion, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division running a 125 mile convoy with 140 vehicles with resupply Soldiers for Operation Moshtarak. Produced by Tech. Sgt. Shane Heiser.
New Michael Yon Dispatch
Yon has his first lengthy dispatch, Whispers, since returning to Afghanistan.
The Marjah offensive—billed as the biggest US/NATO/Afghan assault on the Taliban ever—had begun. With it, the attention of nearly all the reporters covering Afghanistan is focused on Marjah. Yet fighting continues across the country, in provinces with names unfamiliar to most people. Men and women are wounded. Some die. Some are saved by dedicated medical crews, and by the pilots who fly into combat to ferry wounded to some of the best trauma facilities in the world, right here in Afghanistan. This story is about the people who care for our troops, wounded correspondents, and many other people, day in, day out.
5/2 SBCT Chaplain in Afghanistan
The Associated Press' Christopher Torchia spends time with a chaplain from the 5/2 SBCT - In Afghanistan, Sunday Mass on a makeshift altar.
BADULA QULP, Afghanistan -- The U.S. Army brigade's Catholic priest spits, smokes, cracks jokes and has come under fire like so many other American soldiers. He keeps altar bread in an empty grenade canister. On Sunday, he donned purple and white vestments over his uniform and celebrated Mass on a makeshift altar of four stacked boxes of MREs.Capt. Carl Subler stood in the dust at an earthen-walled compound and prayed for the safety of those assembled, half a dozen soldiers who are fighting the Taliban near the contested town of Marjah in southern Afghanistan. He also prayed for peace in a country that has known war for decades. The men kneeled in their faded uniforms and some took communion, a reflective moment in a time of war. [...]
A busy Subler gave Mass on Sunday in three patrol bases - "Keep it rolling, baby," he said - in the Badula Qulp region of Helmand province, where the Army is supporting a Marine offensive against an insurgent stronghold. He is the only Catholic chaplain in the 5th Stryker Brigade, which has lent 400 soldiers to a mission that has waged daily firefights as forces push the Taliban out of villages.
Combat Outpost Cobra
Another article from The News Tribune re: the 3/2 SBCT, Primitive outpost gets some upgrades.
COMBAT OUTPOST COBRA, Iraq – As the American military shutters bases across Iraq, one outpost in northwestern Diyala province will double in size over the next few months.Combat Outpost Cobra was scheduled to close when soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment arrived in August. But the squadron – part of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division – has been given the assignment of joint American-Arab-Kurd security checkpoints designed to ease ethnic tension.
Construction crews are adding space for another 700 service members and contractors at the maze of Hesco barriers and run-down concrete buildings. But brigade officials face a tall task in building up Cobra: The unit’s preventive medicine officer warned against major potential health risks in a September assessment, and the outpost’s infrastructure is years behind its larger counterparts.
Winding Down in Iraq
From The News Tribune, Closing shop in Iraq: A long mission in itself.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GRIZZLY, Iraq – This American military base has garnered the reputation as one of the best-kept secrets in Diyala province, with only 1,000 soldiers but the amenities of a larger base.Grizzly’s days, though, are numbered. At some point this year American military officials will close the base, one of hundreds across the country to be shuttered as the United States’ presence inside Iraq shrinks.
So when soldiers from Lewis-McChord’s 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment arrived in August, its logisticians began clearing out shipping containers, vehicles and other equipment. Today, the battalion’s commander says, soldiers are prepared to leave Grizzly within 48 hours of receiving notice.
With the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan
The Associated Press has a new report from Afghanistan.
Butts, 25, doesn't have a Purple Heart or any other high military honor. This is his first, and he hopes, his only deployment in Afghanistan. He's no hero or combat veteran, just a regular guy who ended up in a war. He's like a lot of the Americans fighting the Taliban insurgency, men and women with lives and loved ones back home.The Magna, Utah native is in Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Stryker Brigade, supporting a U.S. Marine onslaught on Taliban fighters in their strongholds in Marjah district in Helmand province. Here, in his own words, Butts shares his thoughts on everything from love - "my wife...she's my inspiration" - to death:
"After a while, you get used to the idea that this might be your last day walking around. ... I'm not afraid of dying, I know I'm not going to have to worry about anything anymore because I'm not going to be here."
Fighting History in Iraq
The News Tribune has a new article featuring the 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT.
ZAIDON, Iraq – To understand the roots of Islamic extremism in Iraq, you must first study this rural Sunni area of western Baghdad province. The religion runs so conservative here, many men wear thick beards and Afghan-style robes that end at the calf.Women completely cover much of their faces. Tribal ties bind and tear at the area. [...]
“I’m not sure there’s any way an American can solve the conflict, and I’m not sure the Iraqis really know what to do,” said Capt. Andy Lembke, the commander of Comanche Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. “Our goal right now is just to get the (Iraqi army) and the local leaders talking. That’s the best we can hope for here.”
Run Is Just One Way to Refresh Awareness
Story by Pvt. Zach Zuber
DIYALA, Iraq – As the sun rose over Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, gathered on the basketball courts in front of the Sallie Gym to take part in a 5K run/walk. While the run itself is not necessarily out of the ordinary, the reasons for it are.
This event was organized to increase sexual assault awareness for the Arrowhead Brigade.
"The run was recommended by I Corps, and was done by everyone in the division, which is a great deal," said Sgt. 1st Class Tammy Greene, a deployed sexual assault response coordinator for 3-2 SBCT.
Tomahawks' Hard Work Provides Bright Future For Iraqi Children
Story by Pvt. Zach Zuber
DIYALA, Iraq – Classrooms in the Khalis Secondary School have been a bustling place during the first two weeks of February. The traffic is not what most people would expect for the school, but rather a dedicated team of about 40 Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 23 Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
Members of the 1/23 Inf., the Tomahawks, have been working with great fervor to perform a makeover modeled after the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition television program that is popular among many American families. The project, deemed the Extreme Tomahawk School Makeover, was created to refurbish a school that has lived through its share of strife during the past few years and to provide hope and opportunity to children of the community.
Soldiers worked for at least nine hours a day, with the final stretch carrying through the night, to complete the overhaul of every foot of the school. They assembled new desks, painted the walls, installed windows and air conditioners, and provided new textbooks and bags to the students.
"This was a huge challenge for us to get done on time," said Spc. William Chanda of Bridgeton, Maine, a forward observer for 1/23 Inf. "I am still catching up on sleep from the last push, but it was definitely worth it."
Yon on SGT Adam Ray
Michal Yon describes the events surrounding the death of SGT Adam Ray.
On Feb. 9th, in a field near a road, an Afghan soldier squatted to relieve himself. He picked the wrong spot. A bomb exploded, blowing off a leg, and he died. Captain John Weatherly, Commander of Charlie Company of the 4-23 Infantry at FOB Price in Helmand Province, mentioned that in passing as he described the series of events that led to the death of Specialist – now Sergeant – Adam Ray, a vigorous 23 year old, born in Tampa, Florida. The bomb the Afghan stumbled upon was near the IED that struck Adam. [...]In the war zone that is Afghanistan, life and limb depend on noticing normally mundane things like culverts. They are a favorite hiding spot for the Taliban to plant bombs intended to kill Americans driving the roads. Hundreds, even thousands of pounds of explosives can be stuffed inside, launching our vehicles into the sky, flipping them over and over, sometimes killing all. And so, in some areas, soldiers on missions must stop dozens of times to check culverts for explosives. Since we do this every day in front of thousands of Afghans, they know our patterns. In addition to planting bombs in culverts, they plant mines and other bombs near culverts, to get men who stop to check.
4-23 INF Treat Civilians in Afghanistan
Associated Press report, Trained to kill – and to save, featuring the 4-23 INF, 5/2 SBCT.
BADULA QULP, Afghanistan – Two Afghan men on a motorcycle approached a makeshift camp of NATO and Afghan troops and unloaded a bundle of blankets. American soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division went into combat mode, throwing on flak vests and helmets and grabbing their rifles. They feared it was a ruse – perhaps a suicide bomber moving in for the kill.The Afghans raised their robes to show they had no weapons, and unwrapped the bundle. Inside was 7-year-old Sayd Rahman, shot in the chest near Marjah, where U.S. Marines are trying to clear out a bastion of insurgency in one of the biggest operations since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.
Taliban & al Qaeda Trageted in Marja Raids
"Taliban commander, 4 al Qaeda fighters killed in raid near Marja" - The Long War Journal
Afghan and Coalition special operations forces killed a Taliban commander who works with foreign fighters and 10 Taliban and al Qaeda operatives during a raid in a region just outside the battle zone in Marja in Helmand province.During a raid in the district of Washir, the combined force targeted and killed Mullah Sarajudin, the Taliban commander, along with four al Qaeda operatives and six Taliban fighters. Washir lies just north of the district of Nad Ali, where Afghan and Coalition forces have launched a massive operation to take control of the city of Marja and the surrounding areas.
Stryker Continue to Train Iraqi Counterparts
The News Tribune team is home, but they continue to publish new articles from their time in Iraq.
In dozens of interviews with soldiers of myriad rank and responsibility, American troops appear to view the Iraqi army as increasingly capable of doing independent operations. But the Iraqis are held back by several problems: a laissez-faire work ethic, fluid scheduling, inconsistency of skill level among units and, on a larger scale, the inability to train and supply themselves.The 2009 security agreement between Washington, D.C., and Baghdad stipulates that all missions must include Iraqi security forces. American service members must remain outside cities and towns unless explicitly allowed in by the Iraqis.
Soldiers who have made repeated deployments to Iraq say their counterparts’ improvements in recent years have been vast – despite differing views about whether the Iraqi army could secure its country without U.S. support.
AP Report With the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan
Associated Press reporter Christopher Torchia is embedded with the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan near Marjah.
BADULA QULP, Afghanistan — They call themselves gypsies, the men of Bravo Company.Right now, the 140 American soldiers are living out of their Stryker infantry carriers, part of a force assisting a U.S. Marine offensive in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah by blocking any insurgent movement near a canal to the northeast. They sleep up to six to a vehicle, crammed into a metal shell with hatches and only narrow windows in the "Hellhole" — the driver's compartment.
Living in these machines is like living in a can. In the morning, the soldiers pop their heads out of the hatches like moles emerging from the earth. By day, they wait, patrol, scan compounds with the sights of their rifles and engage in firefights with insurgents.
Such is U.S. Army life in a theater of war, a lot of the time. But this company from the 5th Stryker Brigade has been on the move more than most since it deployed in Afghanistan in July, and they joke about it. They are the "Bedouin Company" — after the Arab desert nomads — or the "Bravo Bastards."
The Long War Journal on Afghanistan
Two new and excellent articles from TLWJ examine the surge strategy in Afghanistan and the operation in Marjah.
New Yon Dispatch "Patterns"
Michael Yon's newest full-length dispatch, titled "Patterns", features the 1-17 INF, 5/2 SBCT.
Earlier that morning, soldiers from 1st Platoon, B-company (1-17th) had taken me on a short, easy mission out to a micro-base called “Brick 1.” The Platoon leader was 1st Lieutenant Ryan Fadden, while SFC Dimico was the platoon sergeant. The platoon was ready. Despite the filthy environment, weapons were clean, the gear was sorted and the men were in good spirits and a business-like frame of mind. They seemed confident. It looked like Lieutenant Fadden and SFC Dimico were on their jobs. The battalion had lost 21 men KIA during the first several months of combat—the Brigade lost 31. An article was about to be published in the Army Times which might lead one to believe that the 1-17th is not combat-ready. The author, Sean Naylor, is as highly respected as he is experienced, and so his words are taken seriously. Yet during my first week, despite serious stresses in some places, the men seemed ready.
Marjah Update From Yon
Michale Yon has a number of brief updates on the fighting on his Facebook page. Excerpt:
Morning 5/2 update: 1-17 Infantry, 2-1 IN, 4-23 IN, 8-1 Cav: All battalions fine and conducting all sorts of operations ranging from ambushes to community work. Very busy out there and doing good. Nine (artillery) fire missions last night (from 5/2 elements). Much aircraft supporting Marjah offensive but we are well ...covered. Bright and chilly today: mud puddles covered with sheet ice.
Photos: 4-2 Soldiers Distribute Care Packages to Aqur Quf Families, Children
Spc. James Gibson, a Lawton, Okla., native and infantry radio and telephone operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, retrieves a care package to distribute to local children in the Aqur Quf area Feb. 10. The care packages included school supplies, stuffed animals, and other goods for Iraqi children.
Operation Moshtarak
ISAF Joint Command
The operation
Operation Moshtarak is an Afghan-led initiative to assert government authority in the centre of Helmand province. Afghan and ISAF partners are engaging in this counter-insurgency operation at the request of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Helmand provincial government.
Moshtarak is a Dari word for "together". The security forces that make up the combined force are serving side-by-side, representing partnership in strength.
Insurgents who do not accept the government's offer to reintegrate and join the political process will be met with overwhelming force. However, the strongest of measures will be taken to protect the civilian population.
Military operations in central Helmand will be followed by the swift establishment of an Afghan government presence in cleared areas. This will be supported by stabilization activity led by the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team.
The participants
A combined force of 15,000 is involved in Operation Moshtarak. This combined force includes:
Approximately five brigades of Afghan forces, including members of the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police, Afghan Border Police and Afghan Gendarmerie (formerly Afghan National Civil Order Police).
ISAF Regional Command (South) elements, with forces drawn from the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia and Canada. These elements include:
1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (US)
1st Battalion, 6th Marines (US)
3rd Battalion, 6th Marines (US)
4th Battalion, 23rd IN Stryker (US)
Combat Engineer Battalion (US)
Light Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (US)
1 Coldstream Guards Battle Group (UK)
1 Grenadier Guards Battle Group (UK)
1 Royal Welsh Battle Group (UK)
Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (UK)
Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (UK)
Task Force Pegasus
Task Force Kandahar
(via DVIDS)
SGT Adam J. Ray
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Adam J. Ray, 23, of Louisville, Ky., died Feb. 9 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
Related:
Two area soldiers die in Iraq, Afghanistan - The News Tribune
Soldier remembered for his everyday gifts - The Courier-Journal
Louisville Soldier Laid To Rest - AP
Soldier's ultimate sacrifice honored - Kentucky.com
Stryker soldier called 'nothing short of excellent’ | Stryker Brigade - The News Tribune
WaPo Marjah Update
The Washington Post has another embedded report on the fighting in Marjah.
NEAR MARJAH, Afghanistan -- U.S. and Afghan troops fought back small-scale attacks by Taliban fighters Friday on the northern outskirts of Marjah, as tribal elders pleaded for NATO to finish its planned attack on the Taliban stronghold quickly and carefully to protect civilians.No casualties were reported in the series of skirmishes throughout the day. In one clash, Marines fought off an ambush against one of their convoys with 50-caliber machine guns and grenade launchers. Reporters with the U.S. 5th Stryker Brigade heard a large explosion, which troops said was from a missile attack against a Taliban compound.
Thousands of U.S. and Afghan troops are taking part in the operation to wrest control of Marjah, 380 miles (610 kilometers) southwest of Kabul, away from the Taliban and restore government authority over the town, a major supply base of the insurgents and a center of their opium-poppy business. The British are mounting a parallel operation to the north.
Marjah Backgrounder
The Institute for the Study of War has an overview of the Marjah operation in Afghanistan for those interested in a bit of perspective - Operation Moshtarak: Preparing for the Battle of Marjah (PDF)
Michael Yon on Marjah Offensive
Yon has a brief update on his Facebook page.
Michael Yon 5/2 troops near Marjah have been in a lot of contact. Have killed some enemy (did not get numbers) and taken no casualties. Touch wood.
MGS helps Infantry stay on target
2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office
Grafenwohr, Germany – Heavy snowfall and harsh winds around the Grafenwoehr Training Area of the Joint Multinational Training Command didn’t stop Troopers from 1st Squadron of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment from training for their deployment to Afghanistan. During this training, infantry squads incorporated the use of the new M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun System into their latest live-fire operation Tuesday, February 2.
“First Squadron has incorporated the MGS system along with the Infantry carrier vehicle,” said Staff Sgt. Donald Phillips, the 2SCR Regimental Master Gunner. “This is the first time they have done this type of training since receiving the new system in December.”
The MGS is a 105 mm cannon mounted on the Stryker vehicle variant. It is the same cannon that was found on the M1 Abrams tank. According to Phillips, the MGS brings the firepower of a tank to an infantry fight.
Phillips said the MGS is designed for use in urban terrain and its central purpose is for Infantry support.
“It can be used to take out troops out in mass using a canister round,” he said, “or knock holes in buildings to provide a passage for Troops to move through.”
“It can also take on light-armored vehicles that the Infantry may encounter,” he said. “This is the first time the Soldiers have had the chance to really feel the effects of that 105mm gun.”
During the exercise Infantry squads conducted assaults and room clearing procedures while the MGS provided artillery support, engaging simulated enemy vehicles that were preparing to ambush them. This live-fire exercise is part of 2SCR’s ongoing preparation for the Afghanistan deployment.
[Editor's Note: The gun on the MGS is indeed the Abrams gun (105MM - as on the M-60) but it was the original gun on the M1A1 model. Later models have the 120mm M256 smoothbore gun developed by Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH of Germany.]
Once a Dragoon always a Dragoon
2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office
Vilseck, Germany – In 1986 a young private, fresh out of training, reported to his first duty station in Bamberg, Germany. He was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and spent most of his days patrolling the German and Czech borders. Now, 24 years later, Sergeant Major Michael Fox's career came full circle to bring him back to 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment.
Fox is happy to be back where it all started for him. Reporting to 2SCR on January 28th 2010 was like coming home for the newly promoted Sergeant Major.
“It’s great! Since I left the first time, I always said that I wanted to come back.”
As time and his career progressed, Fox began to feel like rejoining the regiment was an impossible goal. His various duties took him all over Europe, the United States, and Korea. Now with 12 permanent changes of station under his belt, he hopes to settle down and eventually retire as a part of 2SCR.
WaPo Marjah Operational Update
Strykers, Afghan soldiers dig for fight
NEAR MARJAH, Afghanistan – U.S. and Afghan forces pushed Tuesday to the edge of the southern Afghan town of Marjah, poised to seize the major Taliban supply and drug-smuggling stronghold in hopes of building public support by providing aid and services once the insurgents are gone.
Instead of keeping the offensive secret, Americans have been talking about it for weeks, expecting the Taliban would flee. But the militants appear to be digging in, apparently believing that even a losing fight would rally supporters and sabotage U.S. plans if the battle proves destructive.
No date for the main attack has been announced but all signs indicate it will come soon. It will be the first major offensive since President Barack Obama announced in December that he was sending 30,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan, and will serve as a significant test of the new U.S. strategy for turning back the Taliban.
About 400 U.S. troops from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s 5th Stryker Brigade and about 250 Afghan soldiers moved into positions northeast of Marjah before dawn Tuesday as U.S. Marines pushed to the outskirts of the town. Automatic rifle fire rattled in the distance as the Marines dug in for the night with temperatures below freezing. The occasional thud of mortar shells and the sharp blast of rocket-propelled grenades fired by the Taliban pierced the air.
Full article at thenewstribune.com
The Associated Press reports on the new offensive in Afghanistan.
Hitting the Links in Iraq
BAGHDAD – The soldiers serving at Joint Security Station Aqur Quf had a problem: They had a hitting mat and tens of thousands of golf balls, but only two clubs.
Thanks to the kindness of News Tribune readers, that’s not a problem anymore.
The donors are people such as Zoeanne Hondle of Tacoma, who sent numerous clubs and a hard-top bag. Vic Peterson of Tacoma shipped clubs including a Callaway Big Bertha, plus a note saying his distance record with the driver was 325 yards.
Full article at thenewstribune.com
Progress in Afghanistan
For the Fifth Stryker Brigade Combat Team, deployed around the southern city of Kandahar, the mission is to preserve freedom of movement on the highways through southern Afghanistan. By doing so, they hope to fan to life the economic and political embers smoldering in roadside villages around Kandahar and restore credibility to the local government. [...]
Their mission is a key part of the new strategy for southern Afghanistan, where most of President Obama's 30,000 reinforcements are to deploy. By establishing a cordon of coalition forces around Kandahar, commanders hope to protect the people and the flow of commerce, while pulling troops away from less populated areas in the south. [...]
The Strykers came to their new highway mission after difficult months last summer and fall in the Argandab River Valley of Kandahar province, fertile farmland where the vehicles had difficulty maneuvering through narrow lanes and were pounded by roadside bombs. Twenty-one soldiers from the battalion that fought in the Argandab were killed through December, more than any other Army battalion in Afghanistan.
New article from The Washington Post in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Offensive
This is the first report I've seen re: a new offensive involving the 5/2 SBCT.
The US Army has launched a major operation in support of a planned US-Afghan attack on the largest Taliban-controlled town in southern Afghanistan.About 400 US troops from the 5th Stryker Brigade were joined by 250 Afghan soldiers and their 30 Canadian trainers to move into positions north east of Taliban-controlled Marjah.
Photos: Soldiers Watch the Super Bowl
Soldiers with 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division stay up late to enjoy some camaraderie and watch Super Bowl XLIV in the brigade conference room, Feb. 8. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Bryce S. Dubee)
1-38th Commemorates 138th Day 'boots on Ground'
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kristina Scott
BAGHDAD – For Soldiers who are in the habit of patrolling the streets of Baghdad up to eight hours each day, meeting with key Iraqi leaders and training members of the Iraqi Security Forces, taking a day off now and then comes as a much-welcomed break.
For Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, that day arrived Feb. 5. But the idea was not simply about taking the day off.
Leaders decided that tying the numeric designation of the unit into the 138th day of "boots on ground" – a term which refers to how many days the Soldiers have been in Iraq – was a great way to remember the heritage of the 1-38th Inf. Regt., and to build esprit de corps by bringing the troops together for some friendly competition.
"Today is primarily to honor the service of the regiment, but it also gives a little bit of a break to get re-motivated," said Lt. Col. John Leffers, 1-38th commander and a native of Utica, N.Y.
The festivities started with a somewhat informal ceremony during which two Soldiers were promoted in rank and several awards were given out; one for expertise of marksmanship. There was also an historical account of the battalion's involvement at Omaha Beach, during the Normandy Campaign, in July 1944.
3-17 FA Transports Howitzers to FOB Price by Helicopter
Story by Pfc. Nathan Booth
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, completed the transfer of two M110 Howitzers from Kandahar Air Field to Forward Operating Base Price Jan. 16.
It may seem like a routine task, but when the transfer takes place by two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, things get a little more interesting.
"Well the first thing is that it enables us to keep the guns off of the road, so we won't be hit with [Improvised Explosive Devices] and become non-mission capable," said Staff Sgt. William Willoughby, assigned to A Battery, 3-17 FA, 5/2 ID (SBCT). "This is enabling us to stay mission capable and allowing us to move the guns at a faster speed than we would on the road."
Using helicopters during missions is new territory for 3-17 FA according to Willoughby.
"Most of us have done it three or four times here in country," Willoughby said. "It's relatively new for 3-17 to do Air Assault missions, but our guys trained well and we adapted quickly to the mission at hand."
One of the key members of the sling load team, Pfc. Michael Wall, a Bridgeport, Texas native assigned to Headquarters and Service Battery, 3-17 FA, 5/2 ID (SBCT), joined an all ready established team of soldiers from A Battery.
"It was one of those "Hey, you" details and I was the only one qualified to do it," Wall said. "My Battery is so undermanned right now having everyone pushed out, so I was the only one left to do it."
After learning the basics of sling load operations, Wall found a new passion for the duty.
"I can honestly say that I didn't know this detail was going to be fun," Wall said. "There aren't a lot of details out there that are fun, and this is one of my favorites and I've been on pretty much everything."
The operation was a success, and according to Capt. Jason Washburn, assigned to 3-17 FA, 5/2 ID (SBCT), saved 3-17 FA time and trouble.
"I think it's a great enabler," Washburn said. "It's much safer, based on the IED threat. Flying is safer than driving, right?"
(via DVIDS)
Stirring Up Justice: 4-2 Field Artillerymen Turn Paper Plates Into Targets
Story by Sgt. Samantha Beuterbaugh
BAGHDAD– A 20-foot high dune rises from the sand at Contingency Operating Location Justice, partially masking the bustling life of Baghdad in the distance.
Soldiers hike to a quiet corner of the lifeless landscape.
"Let's go!" a Soldier shouts. "The faster we get the range set up, the sooner we get out of here."
Soldiers spring from the right and left sides of the mound, equipped with two-by-fours, large pieces of cardboard, thumbtacks, tape, paper plates and plastic bottles.
Their intent: to construct a rifle range.
With limited resources, the Soldiers assigned to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, have been forced to find innovative ways to build a rifle range so they can hone their marksmanship skills. Their creativity has become a weekly ritual.
From My Family to Yours
Story by Pfc. Adrian Muehe
DIYALA, Iraq – The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season in the United States is a popular time for donating and reaching out to those less fortunate families. However, for U.S. Soldiers stationed in Iraq, the giving season extends to all year around.
It is very rare to find a Soldier in 4th Platoon, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, without candy or pens in their cargo pocket to hand them out to the hoards of children that tag along during community patrols or whom gather around during combined Iraqi and U.S. civil affairs projects.
While working with their Iraqi police partners in Wasit, Iraq, Sgt. 1st Class Bruce Wolaver, platoon sergeant for 4th Platoon, has repeatedly noticed a child playing on the very same street corner with no clothes. Being his second deployment, Wolaver has interacted with many Iraqi children before, but this was the first time he's ever seen one run around nude.
Knowing he wouldn't want see his own boy like this, Wolaver decided that he had to help.
"I have a soft spot for kids," said Wolaver, Covington, Ohio ,native. "I called my wife and my mother-in-law, and asked them to send me some clothes for a two year old boy."
Stryker Soldiers Deliver
Story by Sgt. Chris Florence
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Every week hundreds of letters and packages come into the Kandahar Airfield Post Office from family, friends and supporters of 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Soldiers to help close the distance between the pains of deployment and the comforts of home.
Receiving a letter or care package while deployed to a combat zone can be critical for Soldier morale. Cpl. Ryan Holden, the SBCT mailroom Non-Commissioned Officer-In-Charge can relate to his fellow infantrymen out in the fight. He knows how something as simple as mail can be so significant.
"I see my guys out there, and I know what they are going through," Holden said. "They come back to their tents hoping that there's a package on their bunk from their girlfriends, wives or families."
War Games
In a war zone, taking a virtual shot at the CO helps to ease the stress - The News Tribune
Bowman, a fire support specialist with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, finally dropped his Xbox 360 controller, stepped out of his living trailer to light up a cigarette. The Stryker soldier took a few drags, bragged about his kills and snuffed it out.Another game of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beckoned.
“We play Modern Warfare 2 pretty much every night here,” Bowman said. “It helps us vent our frustrations a little bit, to be honest.”
Service members across Iraq spend countless hours playing first-person shooter video games, but perhaps none take it to the level of the soldiers of 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.
Memorial for 5/2 SBCT Soldier Kyle Wright
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Family, friends, Service members and the Joint Base community will remember a Soldier who died while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with a ceremony to be conducted Friday, February 5, at 3 p.m. in the JBLM Lewis North Chapel.
Spc. Kyle J. Wright, 22, of Romeoville, Ill., died Jan. 13 at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered earlier that day when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Kandahar Province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
Related:
Fallen Stryker soldier remembered - KOMO News
Memorial: Stryker soldier upbeat, had a way with words - The News Tribune
A Second Time Around in the New Iraq
Story by Pfc. Adrian Muehe
DIYALA, Iraq – "This is way easier than my last deployment," said Sgt. George Applegate, from Evergreen, Colo., a fire team leader for 2nd Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, while pulling security beside his Stryker vehicle that was staged next to the headquarters of the Iraqi Police's 7th Battalion Emergency Reaction Force in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, on the night of Jan. 31.
Applegate, and the rest of 2nd Platoon, conducted a night patrol in Muqdadiyah, searching for possible improvised explosive devices.
A couple years ago, Applegate wouldn't have been engaged in such a casual conversation while pulling security, because the threat of violence was much more prominent.
"This country differs greatly," said Sgt. Applegate, who was last deployed to Iraq from Aug., 2006 to Nov. 2007, with the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and was stationed just south of Baghdad.
On his last deployment, Applegate operated as part of a combat force in a light infantry unit, encountering violence on a regular basis. There were no combined operations back in those days.
"We were basically a quick reaction force for the entire country," said Applegate. "We were able to be deployed anywhere in a heartbeat."
Soldier Gain Closure Through Operation Proper Exit
Story by Sgt. Bryce Dubee
BAGHDAD – The last time they were here, they lost a piece of themselves. Years, and numerous surgeries later, they've returned to get a small piece back.
Six Soldiers, each severely wounded during combat operations in Iraq, returned to the battlefields where they were injured to gain a sense of closure as part of the Army's Operation Proper Exit.
Arriving in Baghdad on Sunday, the six men, all retired from the Army, visited and shared their stories with Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at the Warrior Chapel here Monday.
Army Working on Improved Stryker A1
The Army is working on a new and improved Stryker armored vehicle variant, known as the Stryker A1, that will boost the eight wheeled vehicle’s performance giving it a bigger engine, beefier transmission, brakes and suspension as well as adding new sensors, shot detection gear, a new communications network and an improved remotely operated weapons turret. [...]
The improved Stryker A1 package includes adding armor to the hull and raising the vehicle higher off the ground so that it’s better protected against IED blasts. To protect the thinly armored vehicles from Rocket Propelled Grenades, the Army added “steel cage” slat armor around the hull, meant to detonate the rocket’s warhead before it hits.
New article from Military.com.
Yon Back With 5/2 SBCT
On his Facebook page Michael Yon says he is now back with the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan after a brief break in the States.
On Point: 3/2 SBCT Newsletter
"On Point" is a monthly newsletter produced by the 3/2 SBCT, which is currently deployed to Iraq. Read the February edition here: On Point.
Arrowhead Soldiers Keep Archery Skills Sharp
DIYALA, Iraq – Every forward operating base has firing ranges of some sort, but there is one at FOB Warhorse that is unique. It is the archery range. Standing atop a shipping container at one end, some people may not recognize what the small area is used for. Sixty yards away, there are four target stands. The first two hold up pieces of foam, the third cardboard and the fourth contains tightly-packed wool blankets.
Though it may seem like a simple thing, for Soldiers of 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, it is an oasis for relaxation and preparation before going home after deployment.
"It's real peaceful down there, you can just relax for a little while," said Sgt. Christopher Velez, a medic with 5/20 Inf. "We go down, shoot for a while, take a break to rest our eyes and then shoot some more."
Besides recovery time, the range gives Soldiers the convenience to hone their skills before bow season opens once they return stateside.
"Having our bows here gives us the opportunity to prepare on our own time and get everything ready so we don't have to rush when we get home," said Spc. Curtis Gamble, a vehicle commander with 5/20 Inf.
The range provides the same liberties to any soldier stationed at FOB Warhorse.
"Before we started we checked with the Mayor Cell to see what we needed to do to use the range and they told us it was open," said Gamble.
"Having the open range allows us to get out there whenever our schedules work out, so we follow safe range practices and go have a good time," said Velez.
The only thing they would like to improve upon is the amount of people that can shoot at once.
"Right now only two people can shoot at a time, but we would like to get more so that we can set them at different ranges and allow more people to shoot together," said Gamble. "We can really only use the one target because arrows just go straight through the foam ones and break coming out of the cardboard."
Velez, who has begun learning archery since arriving at FOB Warhorse, the skills he is learning will help him accomplish his exciting future plans.
"We are planning to get together as a group when we get home to go on hunts," Velez said. "I want to get a big elk, even if I have to buy a new deep freeze."
(via DVIDS)
Arrowhead Soldier Selected for Audie Murphy Club
Story by Pvt. Zach Zuber
DIYALA, Iraq – An examination board composed of senior non-commissioned officers reviewed six NCOs from 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, who were nominated to become members for the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club. The club honors the achievements of the most decorated soldier of World War II.
Of the six NCOs, the board chose to recommend one for induction, Staff Sgt. Joseph Spicer, senior Human Intelligence Collector for Bronco Troop, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment.
During World War II Audie Murphy received every medal available in the U.S. Army at that time, to include the Medal of Honor, the Army's highest award for valor, as well as three Polish medals and a French one. He reached the rank of staff sergeant before being discharged.
"This is definitely a culminating event," said Spicer, a native of Baltimore, Md. "There was a lot of stuff to learn, but now that it's done there is no more pressure."
Soldiers Field New Vehicle, New Technology
Story by Pvt. Zach Zuber
DIYALA, Iraq – Innovative technology has inspired people around the world to change their lifestyle. Modes of transportation and the transfer of information, has evolved over the past 10 years. Today, Soldiers, are not only able to communicate face to face with loved ones while deployed, but now have non-lethal capabilities to respond to demonstrations and protests without leaving their vehicle.
The 3rd Platoon, 66th Military Police Company, attached to 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is employing two new Strykers which will change the way they do their jobs every day.
"The Strykers have a full-spectrum effects package," said James Yeiser, field service representative for the FSEP. "It is an escalation of force defense system designed to keep the Soldiers out of harm's way."
This will be especially helpful during the upcoming elections where security a primary concern for the MPs. Each FSEP Stryker is operated by four Soldiers, each having their own television screen with real-time video feed streaming from cameras located outside the vehicle.
"These are good for a lot of things, even outside the MP world," said Sgt. Blake Jones, a vehicle commander for 3rd Platoon, 66th MP Co. "My favorite features are the 360 degree cameras that allow the vehicle commander to see everything that's going on."
Video: Arrowhead MP's Field Stryker Prototype
Package made from "Arrowhead MP's Field Stryker Prototype" b-roll about Arrowhead Military Police fielding a prototype Stryker vehicle called a Full Spectrum Effects Platform (FSEP), which includes remote fired weapons, infrared cameras, foreign language commands and a non-lethal crowd control device. Also see "Mr. Yeiser, Sgt. Jones" in the interview section. Produced by Sgt. 1st Class JD Phippen.
"Hailstorm" Soldiers Roam at Night With Iraqi Forces
Story by Pfc. Adrian Muehe
DIYALA, Iraq - On the night of Jan 21, residents of Muqdadiyah, Iraq, were soundly asleep in their beds, completely oblivious to the "hailstorm" that was outside. No ice fell from the sky, just the "Hailstorm" Soldiers of 4th Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, doing their part in a joint combat patrol with their partners in the Iraqi army and Iraqi police.
The Soldiers of 4th Platoon, Company C, 2/3 Inf., rolled out late at night to meet up with soldiers of 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Brigade, 5th IA Division, and members of the Muqdadiyah IP Emergency Company Special Weapons and Tactics Team at the IP compound in Muqdadiyah.
After linking up, Capt. Laith Muhammad Nagen, commander of the IP SWAT team and Capt. Zehid Muhammed Shmiel, the commander of IA 3rd Company, provided 2nd Lt. Nicholas Beazley, from Roanoke, Va., platoon leader of 4th Platoon, with intelligence about people they were looking for and identified key points along their designated route where they observed suspicious activity.
Around midnight, the Soldiers of 4th Platoon, along with their IA and IP counterparts, set out on foot to patrol the streets of Muqdadiyah. The patrol, which consisted of about 60 people, marched on with night optical devices and a few flashlights. The city was so dark that one would have to use a flood light to see everyone involved. Communication was done through radios and low volume talking amongst Soldiers close to each other. If anyone looked out their window, they would have had no idea how many troops were out there.
