Fort Lewis fixing up old barracks with $2.8 billion
By DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP, Associated Press
Soldiers at Fort Lewis live in buildings that date back as far as 1927, but base officials say an ambitious barracks construction and renovation project is keeping soldier housing entirely hospitable.
Fort Lewis, base for about 28,924 soldiers, has been building new barracks and upgrading old ones for the past seven years, mostly to accommodate population growth as new Stryker brigades are formed or moved to Washington state.
Raid results in more than 21 detainees
Even though there is no specific mention of the brigade I suspect elements of the 4/2 SBCT were involved in this operation.
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – An operation for two known insurgent leaders resulted in over 20 Iraqi males being detained, May 7.
The operation was conducted in the Khatoon district of Baqubah during the early morning hours.
“The unit had gathered intelligence that indicated two high-level insurgent leaders were in the home,” said Maj. Mike Garcia, spokesperson for Coalition forces in Diyala.
“When they entered the home shortly after midnight, they found over 20 Iraqi adult males – awake – with several illegal weapons and a notebook containing plans for future attacks against Coalition forces in the home,” said Garcia.
Many of the men claimed to be students, local farmers or local media.
“We’ll identify these (individuals) through further questioning and if it is determined they are not involved in insurgent activity, they’ll be released,” said Garcia.
Pride Week at Fort Lewis puts soldiers to the test
FORT LEWIS — Pride Week traditionally has involved soldiers cleaning the post and removing debris from training areas.
Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby Jr., commanding general of Fort Lewis and I Corps, expanded this year's weeklong event to celebrate what soldiers have done and can do together.
For the first time, Pride Week includes unit-sponsored competition, including marksmanship, boxing and weightlifting, in an effort to build camaraderie and morale.
GI itching to rejoin Iraq unit
Here's a nice update on a 4/2 SBCT (I'm guessing) 2nd SCR soldier injured in Iraq and now recovering in the States.
By ROGER W. HOSKINS, Modesto Bee
WATERFORD -- The rocket exploded just inches from Josh Whitfield's head, leaving him with a concussion and other moderate injuries.
But it isn't how close the Army specialist came to eternity that troubles him today. It's the distance that separates him from his buddies in Iraq.
The blast didn't stop him from ordering the driver of the Stryker armored vehicle he was in to back up to protect U.S. soldiers on the ground. Nor did it stop him from firing his mounted .50-caliber machine gun for nearly a minute before he passed out.
Stryker soldiers rejoice at home
SCOTT FONTAINE, The News Tribune
It’s been nearly 13 months since Shawnie Salgado’s husband deployed to Iraq.
That’s 13 months of loneliness. Thirteen months of juggling work and motherhood. Thirteen months of apprehension every time someone knocked on the door or called late at night.
Those 13 months ended Saturday.
Her husband, Army Capt. Joseph Salgado, and about 110 other members of an advance party of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division returned to Fort Lewis, and enthusiastic friends and family members greeted the returning warriors.
The advance party consists of soldiers from each of the brigade’s battalions and companies. Their job is to help prepare for the return of the brigade’s remaining 3,500 to 4,000 soldiers, who will come home in the next few months.
Battle-tested soldiers return from Iraq this weekend
The arrival of the advance party is always a good sign.
The first wave of Fort Lewis soldiers who served a brutal deployment of nearly 15 months in Iraq are scheduled to come home Saturday.
About 110 soldiers with the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division will return to Fort Lewis Saturday and will be welcomed home by family and friends at a 7 a.m. ceremony at Sheridan Gym, according to a post press release.
The first-arriving soldiers make up the Stryker Brigade's advance party, a select team from each of the unit's battalions and companies who redeploy ahead of the rest to make preparations. The majority of 4th Brigade's roughly 4,000 soldiers are scheduled to begin arriving home in June.
[...]
The Desert Raider - Final Edition
The Desert Raider magazine is a monthly publication distributed by the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 4/2 SBCT community. According to the brigade this will be the final edition before it redeploys.
Provided below is a link to the most recent edition. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the document, but it is available for free if you need it.
- The Desert Raider - May 2008 Edition (PDF, 8 MB)
New Academy Helps Diyala IPs Meet Training Requirements
BAQUBAH, Iraq – As the situation in Diyala continues to improve, the mission is changing from clearing the province of al-Qaida in Iraq, to ensuring it remains secure and free of criminal elements. The improved security has allowed the Iraqi police to focus on other issues. One of the larger issues the force is addressing is the training of newly hired policemen that have not received the schooling required by the Ministry of Interior.
The solution to this training issue is a temporary academy that recently opened on Forward Operating Base Grizzly, near Ashraf, Iraq.
The Multi-National Division–North Regional Training Center, or Al A’athaiem Academy as it is known by the Iraqi police, was built to help fix the backlog of IPs who have not undergone official training. Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces are working to build a permanent academy in the town of Muradiyah, located between Baqubah and Khan Bani Sa’ad.
Diyala Battery on Pace to Decimate OIF Rounds-fired Record
Some nice photos if you follow the link as well.
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Boom … Boom … Boom.
The earth-shaking sound of artillery fire is nothing new to residents of Diyala province. It’s practically a daily occurrence, with rounds fired at all hours of the day and night.
Whether or not those loud booms are comforting or scary depend on who hears them. For the enemies of peace and security, those sounds and the resultant explosions are an anathema, but to coalition and Iraqi security forces, along with civilians working for a stable Iraqi, the sounds of King Battery firing their M109A6 Paladin Self Propelled Howitzers are sweet music.
Battery K, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (King Battery) arrived in country in November, and immediately began providing artillery support to the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, the coalition unit responsible for Diyala province. In the battery’s first five months, they have already fired just under 5,000 rounds, on pace to decimate the record of most rounds fired by a battery in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In fact, they are only a few hundred shy of the record, one that was set by a battery who was in country for more than a year.
From Haddon Heights to Iraq
Profile of the commander of 202 BSB, 4/2 SBCT.
On war-rattled Iraqi streets, a son of Haddon Heights has watched life resurface.
Lt. Col. Kenneth E. Evans said he sees the vital signs in Taji city and Diyala province, both north of Baghdad. The streets were all but deserted when Evans and his U.S. Army battalion arrived 13 months ago, he said, because "you just didn't know what was going to happen."
These days, though, markets are open again. Children are out and about. Security, buoyed by new and better Iraqi security forces, has helped instill a fresh confidence, Evans said in a phone interview last week from Diyala province.
Fort Lewis preparing for summer population surge
This summer, post exchange and commissary patrons may find the stores a little more crowded, traffic may be a little thicker and unit operations officers may have to plan a little further ahead to use high-demand training facilities on post.
That’s because Fort Lewis will welcome about 6,500 Soldiers home from deployment between May and September, hiking the post’s troop population to almost 29,000 in what many are calling the “summer surge.”
But Fort Lewis garrison officials have been hard at work for eight months, planning to accommodate the returning units with many new unit buildings, facelifts for existing barracks and facilties, and and a delicately crafted plan to ensure Soldiers, families and units get the support they need during the surge.
New academy helps Diyala IPs meet training requirements
By Spc. Kirby Rider, 4/2 SBCT PAO
BAQUBAH, Iraq – As the situation in Diyala continues to improve, the mission is changing from clearing the province of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, to ensuring it remains secure and free of terrorist elements.
The improved security has allowed the Iraqi Police to focus on other issues.
One of the larger issues the force is addressing is the training of newly-hired policemen who have not received the training required by the Ministry of Interior.
Soldier of the Week: CPT Hoyle
The radio program Murphy in the Morning has selected CPT Justin Hoyle, 1-38 INF, 4/2 SBCT as its soldier of the week. Hoyle was nominated by his brother, Jonathan, who is also an Iraq veteran.
Ft. Lewis soldier gets 28 months in shooting death of sergeant
MICHAEL GILBERT, The News Tribune
It wasn’t the first time he’d pointed his pistol at a fellow soldier, Cpl. Timothy Ayers told the judge Wednesday at his court-martial.
But this time, he said, he pulled the trigger, and this time the gun was loaded.
The Fort Lewis soldier was sentenced to 28 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his platoon sergeant at their forward operating base in Baghdad.
Lakewood seeks donations for soldiers
By ROB TUCKER, The News Tribune
Lakewood has launched a campaign to fill gift baskets for 2,000 Fort Lewis Stryker soldiers who will return soon from their nearly 15-month tour of Iraq.
The first wave of soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division could come home in late May, although the entire unit likely won’t be back until July.
The brigade’s return is part of the larger troop drawdown in Iraq that U.S. political and military leaders have spoken of for months.
The Desert Raider - April Edition
The Desert Raider magazine is a monthly publication distributed by the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 4/2 SBCT community.
Provided below is a link to the most recent edition. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the document, but it is available for free if you need it.
- The Desert Raider - April 2008 Edition (PDF, 3.9 MB)
U.S. troops make progress in Iraq's Diyala province
Nice long article re: 4/2 SBCT's recent operations in Diyala. Via FOB Tacoma and J Calhoun.
By Steve Lannen, McClatchy Newspapers
KHAN BANI SA’AD, Iraq --
GIs call it “KBS” or “the Khan,” and for most of the past two years, this agricultural town of 100,000 in Iraq's Diyala province was the site of fierce fighting between Sunni and Shiite Muslim extremists.
After a firefight Feb. 25 that killed at least nine insurgents, however, the Iraqi and U.S. militaries declared that al Qaida in Iraq had been pushed out of the area.
Diyala remains one of the most dangerous provinces in Iraq, but in the past month, thousands of people who'd fled the region, fearing fighting between the armed forces and insurgents, have returned to villages near the Diyala River. Local Sunni militias are forming in villages that Sunni insurgents occupied a few months ago, with the U.S. military paying recruits $10 a day.
IA, CF kill 3 AQI, destroy bunker near Baqouba
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed three enemy personnel after locating a weapon cache and an al-Qaeda in Iraq bunker in Bojima, near Baqouba, Iraq, March 30.
During a joint clearing operation, Iraqi Army Soldiers began taking small arms fire.
A Coalition air weapons team spotted the armed personnel fleeing from the contact location and engaged the individuals, killing three and wounding a fourth.
Soldiers from the Iraqi Army’s 5th Division and MND-N Soldiers of 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., destroyed one heavy fortified bunker, two 82 mm mortar base plates, one 60 mm mortar base plate, and a 60 mm mortar tripod. Two propane tanks and a fire extinguisher, suspected of containing homemade explosives, were also destroyed.
“Destroying the bunker will further degrade al-Qaeda in Iraq’s ability to conduct offensive and supply operations,” said 1st Lt. Colin Lebeau, assistant intelligence officer, 2-23 Infantry.
MND-N captures key criminal in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Soldiers with the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division captured a key criminal leader in Diyala province near Sadiyah, Iraq, March 29.
The suspect is believed to be the leader of a criminal cell operating in the Khalis area and is accused of numerous improvised explosive attacks specifically targeting local Iraqis,, and Iraqi and Coalition forces. He is also believed to an explosives expert who leads more than 300 criminals.
Another key criminal was also detained during the operation.
Mass grave discovered near Muqdadiyah
TIKRIT, Iraq – Acting on a tip from a local Iraqi, Multi-National Division – North Soldiers and Iraqi Policemen discovered 37 bodies buried in a mass grave north of Muqdadiyah, Iraq, March 27.
All the bodies were badly decomposed and appear to have been there anywhere from two to eight months. Some of the bodies showed signs of torture.
The bodies will be moved to a nearby cemetery.
“Those responsible need to be put to justice for these barbaric acts,” said Maj. Dan Meyers, a spokesman for Multi-National Division - North.
CF kills 1 suspected AQI in Diyala
Multi-National Division – North
BAQUBA, Iraq – Coalition forces killed one suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq member in an operation on a building where known AQI operatives were believed to be hiding March 21.
“The targeted individual was known to be an expert in the manufacture of house-borne improvised explosive devices and suicide vests,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Mackin, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
Diyala leaders meet to establish tribal support councils
Multi-National Division – North PAO
SA’AD MUHAMMED, Iraq – Influential leaders from throughout Diyala province gathered at a home in Sa’ad Muhammed, Iraq, March 20 to establish tribal support councils.
More than 1,000 people attended the gathering at the home of Sheik Dura Fayyadh Al-Amiri. Representatives of the central government, the governor, members of the provincial council, the Iraqi Army and Police commanders for the province and sheiks throughout Diyala attended.
Last month the central government approved the creation of tribal support councils throughout Iraq. The purpose of these councils is for the various tribes throughout the nation to have a voice in government to help with reconciliation and stability.
Stryker Troops Train ISF to Be Self-sufficient
BAQOUBA, Iraq – As the fifth year anniversary of the war in Iraq approaches, one of the big questions often asked is “Are Iraqi security forces capable of providing for Iraq’s security?” Soldiers of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., are currently working closely with their ISF counterparts in Diyala province to ensure they are.
One of the ways the Stryker troops work to ensure the ISF is self-sufficient is training Iraqi soldiers and policemen on basic skills during a 10-day, “basic-warrior-skills” course.
News Tribune on 5th Anniversary
The News Tribune has a number of items related to the 5th Anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.
- The Iraq conflict five years later: A look back and ahead as war rolls on
- A Fort Lewis & Washington timeline of the Iraq war
- More comments on the 5th anniversary - Views from the paper's readers
- Five years from Tacoma to Iraq - Multimedia presentation posted on YouTube
Five years later, soldiers reflect on casualties
Follow the link for video as well.
By Keith Eldridge, KOMO 4 News
FORT LEWIS -- This base is 6th on the list of military bases with the most casualties in the war in Iraq. But the soldiers at Fort Lewis say they want to make sure each and every soldier is honored for their supreme sacrifice.
When the fighting in Iraq began, it was everyone's hope that the U.S. could get through the conflict with very few soldier deaths, and have it be over and done with quickly.
That was five years and 179 Fort Lewis casualties ago.
Time and again, soldiers, their families and friends have gathered to pay honor to those who've fallen.
On this 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, the soldiers and their commanders say the deaths that happen today are just as hard to take as those back in 2003.
[...]
Discovery Highlights Recent Counterinsurgency Successes
By Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4/2 SBCT
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Coalition forces discovered a sizable weapons cache in the Tahrir district of Baqubah, Diyala province, Iraq, March 15.
Soldiers of Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered two rocket propelled grenade launchers on the roof of a home during a routine patrol of the area. The house’s rooftop was connected to another home where the Soldiers found a mortar tube, additional RPG rounds and numerous mortar rounds hidden in a barrel buried in the courtyard.
The cache included 23 mortar rounds, four RPG rounds, three RPG launchers, one mortar tube, one AK-47 rifle, and numerous Ak-47 magazines and rounds. The munitions were destroyed in a controlled detonation at a nearby joint combat outpost.
Diyala’s Breadbasket Two Months Later: a Success Story
Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4/2 SBCT
HIMBUS, Iraq – A lot can happen in a few months. Citizens of the northern Diyala River Valley area commonly referred to as the Breadbasket have seen a world of difference in just two months.
For several years, the Breadbasket – an area of roughly 100-square kilometers – had been an al-Qaida in Iraq stronghold and safe haven. There was very little Iraqi army presence and virtually no Iraqi police. AQI had enforced strict Sharia Law and were kidnapping and beheading those who did not comply with their explicit demands.
That all changed beginning Jan. 7 with the start of Operation Raider Harvest – the Diyala province portion of the theater-wide offensive Phantom Phoenix. Soldiers of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division cleared house-by-house, village-by-village throughout the Breadbasket.
Cache discovery highlights continuing successes in Baqouba
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Coalition forces discovered a large weapons cache in the Tahrir district of Baqouba, Iraq, March 15.
Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division discovered rocket-propelled grenade launchers on the roof of a home while on a routine patrol. The rooftop is connected to another home where the Soldiers found a mortar tube, additional RPG rounds and numerous mortar rounds hidden a barrel buried in the courtyard.
The cache included mortar rounds, RPG rounds, RPG launchers, a mortar tube, an AK-47 rifle, and numerous Ak-47 magazines and rounds. The munitions were destroyed in a controlled detonation at a nearby joint combat outpost.
The resident of the first house was detained by the Soldiers.
Fort Lewis sees growth, change
FORT LEWIS — Before bombs dropped on Baghdad in 2003, Fort Lewis already was on the forefront of change in the Army, developing and fielding a new, cutting-edge combat brigade.
And little around the installation has remained the same since.
Like other military posts, Fort Lewis has adjusted to the demands of fighting two protracted conflicts five years in Iraq and nearing seven in Afghanistan. Those demands include improving the care of wounded soldiers and increasing the number of services and programs available to families to help them through the stress of long periods of separation.
Some changes are unique to Fort Lewis, including an assessment program to ensure that any lingering effects from combat aren't ignored. The war has accelerated the development of the Stryker combat brigades; three of the Army's seven Stryker brigades are based at Fort Lewis.
[...]
Ex-Fort Lewis chief predicts tough spring for U.S. troops
Dubik was the top commander at Ft. Lewis until his recent assignment in Iraq.
FORT LEWIS, Pierce County — For three years, thousands of Army soldiers from this Western Washington post patrolled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. More than 40 lost their lives.
With the security situation improved, the last of three Fort Lewis Stryker brigades withdrew in mid-2006, but during the past year, as U.S. forces clamped down on al-Qaida activities farther south, Mosul has once again emerged as a violent center of insurgent activities, a key U.S. commander said on Thursday.
The experience in Mosul offers a cautionary note as the U.S. military nears the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war amid a drawdown of American troops.
CPL Jose A. Paniagua-Morales
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Jose A. Paniagua-Morales, 22, of Bell Gardens, Calif., died March 7 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Samarra, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers.
Related Articles:
Fort Lewis Stryker soldier dies from wounds in Iraq war - The News Tribune
Photos: 4/2 SBCT
Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune points us to an large album of photos featuring the 4-9 INF, 4/2 SBCT.
Fort Lewis pays tribute to two Stryker corporals
By MICHAEL GILBERT, The News Tribune
Two fallen Stryker infantrymen were remembered Wednesday as all-action types who enjoyed their dangerous work almost as much as they loved their wives and their daughters. Fort Lewis paid its respects to Cpls. Chad D. Groepper and Luke S. Runyan, both 21, who were killed Feb. 17 by enemy small-arms fire near Abu Waih, in Diyala province, Iraq.
Fellow soldiers said the pair had recently re-enlisted and thrived under the pressures of combat as members of their battalion’s reconnaissance platoon. But they also showed pictures and spoke often of their little girls.
PEO Soldier: Modernization at Good Value
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 04, 2008) -- The Army is now modernizing what Soldiers wear, carry and fight with at a rate faster than at any time in history.
“Modernization is occurring at mach speed in the Soldier’s world,” said Brig. Gen. Robert M. Brown, Program Executive Officer, Soldier, and commanding general, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, during a session at the Association of the United States Army’s Institute of Land Warfare Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
IA, CF Go ‘Fox Hunting’ in Diyala
There are 11 related images to view if you follow the link below.
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
ABU KHAMIS, Iraq – The Iraqi army, with minimal help from coalition forces, is currently clearing al-Qaida in Iraq from one of their last remaining strongholds in “restive” Diyala province -- the area between Baghdad and Baqubah east of the Diyala River.
Operation Fox Hunting began Feb. 27 with elements of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division providing support as the Iraqi army cleared Al-Sayahi (the Tourist Road) and another north-south road father east that had both been closed for more than a year due to heavy seeding of improvised explosives by AQI.
Soldiers, Airmen Build Better Living Conditions in Iraq
ZAGINAYAH, Iraq – Take an abandoned schoolhouse, add some beds, guard towers, recreation area and chow hall … and what do you get? A combat outpost Soldiers operate to keep al-Qaida in Iraq operatives from reentering a former terrorist stronghold near Zaginayah, Iraq.
Leaders from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., have made major improvements during the past three months for the morale and welfare of their Soldiers who live at the COP Zaginayah fulltime.
The Desert Raider - March Edition
The Desert Raider magazine is a monthly publication distributed by the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 4/2 SBCT community.
Provided below is a link to the most recent edition. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the document, but it is available for free if you need it.
- The Desert Raider - March 2008 Edition (PDF, 3.9 MB)
Baquba area Sons of Iraq agree to return to their duties
Multi-National Division – North PAO
DIYALA, Iraq – Abna al-Iraq or Sons of Iraq from Baquba agreed to return to their duties following a meeting Feb. 29 with the provincial government, Diyala Operations commander, and Coalition forces at the Diyala Governance Center.
“We discussed the situation in detail today and all parties agreed that the Sons of Iraq and their leaders would return to work,” said Lt. Col. John Steele, deputy commander for the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division.
Sunni Forces Losing Patience With U.S.
A Stryker commander is quoted in the following article.
By Sudarsan Raghavan and Amit R. Paley, Washington Post
BAGHDAD, Feb. 27 -- U.S.-backed Sunni volunteer forces, which have played a vital role in reducing violence in Iraq, are increasingly frustrated with the American military and the Iraqi government over what they see as a lack of recognition of their growing political clout and insufficient U.S. support.
Since Feb. 8, thousands of fighters in restive Diyala province have left their posts in order to pressure the government and its American backers to replace the province's Shiite police chief. On Wednesday, their leaders warned that they would disband completely if their demands were not met. In Babil province, south of Baghdad, fighters have refused to man their checkpoints after U.S. soldiers killed several comrades in mid-February in circumstances that remain in dispute.
Coalition forces kill 7 terrorists in firefight near Khan Bani Sa’ad
Multi-National Division – North
TIKRIT, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed seven terrorists during a firefight east of Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, in the early morning hours of Feb. 25.
Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., were ambushed while conducting an operation to capture a known al-Qaeda in Iraq operative. When the Soldiers closed within 30 feet of the target house, they came under attack by small arms fire and grenades. Three MND-N Soldiers were injured in the initial attack.
IA, CF Work Together to Clear Village Near Turki
BALAD RUZ, Iraq – Coalition force Soldiers recently worked with Iraqi army soldiers to coordinate and execute a mission near Balad Ruz, Iraq, Feb. 17.
Iraqi army soldiers from 4th Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division stationed at Turki Patrol Base were helped by Soldiers from Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, to conduct a reconnaissance mission to gather intelligence about the area and people wanted for questioning.
Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites work together, distrustfully
2-23 INF, 4/2 SBCT Commander quoted in the following article.
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
MUQDADIYA, IRAQ -- The room seethed with anger as Sunni Arab members of a neighborhood guard force brought in a freed captive, who stood mute amid the raised voices and swirling cigarette smoke.
Eyeing a visiting U.S. Army officer, the burly gunmen in camouflage coaxed the man to raise his arms and display the brown shoelaces that bound his wrists. The man, a fuel vendor, said he had been stopped by Shiite guards who demanded to know his sect. When he told them he was Sunni, he said, "they tied my hands, they slapped and kicked me. They stole fuel from me too."
SPC Luke S. Runyan
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Luke S. Runyan, 21, of Spring Grove, Pa., died Feb. 17 in Diyala Province, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his dismounted patrol using small arms fire. Runyan was assigned to 2nd Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones he leaves behind.
SPC Chad D. Groepper
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Chad D. Groepper, 21, of Kingsley, Iowa, died Feb. 17 in Diyala Province, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his dismounted patrol using small arms fire. Groepper was assigned to 2nd Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are wit his family, friends and fellow soldiers during this difficult time.
Life in Iraq: ‘Just doing my job’
By JESSE DUARTE, St. Helena Star
John Principe says he’s spent the last 10 months “just doing my job.”
But that job entails dodging bullets from al-Qaida members and evading suicide bombers.
A Ranger-qualified captain in the U.S. Army, Principe leads 35 soldiers in Iraq as part of a Stryker brigade combat team.
“We’re responsible for general security,” Principe said during a visit to his father Paul’s St. Helena home. “We check up on people’s quality of life and maintain a presence there to push out al-Qaida. Our mission is pretty much to save people’s lives and keep insurgents out.”
IA, CF Clear AQI Strongholds South of Baqubah
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
BAQUBAH, Iraq – The Iraqi army, supported by coalition partners, cleared two former al-Qaida in Iraq stronghold villages, south of Baqubah, Feb. 10-13.
Soldiers from the 3rd and 4th Battalions, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division with support from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division cleared the villages of Arab Jabar and Hussein al Hamadi during Operations Lions Attack and Bandog Rodeo.
Thousands to make accelerated staff sergeant
Multiple Stryker soldiers are quoted in the following story.
By Jim Tice and Matthew Cox, Army Times
Pressed to increase the number of staff sergeants on active duty, the Army will automatically place several thousand additional sergeants on the servicewide E-6 selection list April 1.
The Army also will accelerate staff sergeant primary-zone promotion opportunities for soldiers who appear before local selection boards, and who compete for advancement to E-6 under the cutoff-score system.
The new system is targeted at sergeants who have not appeared before a local selection board but who have been on active duty for six years and 11 months or more, and who have spent at least 11 months in the grade of E-5.
Joint Operation Helps Displaced Families Return Home
Multi-National Division – North Public Affairs Office
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Families displaced from a town near Baqubah, Iraq, were escorted back to their homes by the Iraqi army and coalition force Soldiers, Feb. 13, during Operation Fierce Thrasher.
Soldiers from Company F, 52nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., helped 39 families dislocated due to fear of terrorist attacks return to their homes in the town of Durah, Iraq.
4-9 Manchus ‘Stryke’ Enemy
BAYJI, Iraq – Sand, dust and enemy scatter as the lethal, wheeled vehicles of 4-9 Infantry Battalion “Manchus” maneuver through the fluid terrain of northern Salah ad Din province in February with a few months left before their redeployment.
After serving with their parent brigade, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, the Manchus are now fighting extremists with the 1st Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne”, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
As part of Operation Iron Harvest, the Stryker vehicle battalion conducted a search of the vast desert areas of Salah ad Din province, using their futuristic Land Warrior System to maintain situational awareness.
Land Warrior Needs Work, Soldiers Say
By Christian Lowe, Military.com
CAMP ABLE X-RAY, Iraq --- It was billed as a revolutionary new tool that promised to give Soldiers an added edge in the fight, with a heads-up displayed map, a see-around-corners rifle sight and speed-of-light communications.
And on its first deployment to combat, the decades-old Land Warrior system did win over many of its detractors. But as the Soldiers carrying Land Warrior's burdensome boxes and wires on their backs labored into their seventh month of deployment, some are beginning to question whether this version of a system the Army worked so hard to get to the field is worth the price.
DoD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Hertling
Maj. Gen. Hertling briefed reporters (view full transcript) on the situation in Iraq. Diyala was cited specifically. Excerpt:
About six weeks ago, I informed all of you in the press room that we had started Operation Iron Harvest in Diyala province and the rest of our three provinces here in the north, and that's part of the MNC-I Operation Phantom Phoenix -- don't mean to confuse you on that, but two different names for operations that are ongoing. I've been asked to give you an update on that, as well as answer your questions on what is going on in the four northern provinces of Diyala, Salahuddin, Nineveh and Kirkuk. And when I talked to this group last month, we were in the early stages of the campaign throughout the province. To date, coalition forces and Iraqi security forces have had successful operations throughout the north, but especially in Diyala. Diyala is much safer today than it was a month ago. Citizens are less afraid to go out on the street, and markets are opening. Al Qaeda has gone to ground. We are hunting them out, where they have gone to ground, or they have dispersed and we are pursuing them to new areas. But there is still much work to be done to bring normalcy to Diyala province.
Operation Rock Thrasher Clears Al-Saiyid, Windiyah
Follow the link for a handful of related images.
BAQUBAH, Iraq – The early morning mission conducted by Iraqi army and coalition forces on Feb. 8 brought them into an area that was believed to be a former al-Qaida in Iraq stronghold to look for weapon caches and to kill or capture any remaining AQI.
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., working side-by-side with Iraqi army soldiers cleared the towns of Big and Small Windiyah along with al-Saiyid, Iraq, a village to the south.
Coalition, Iraqi Commanders Discuss Successes in Diyala
By Pfc. Kirby Rider, 2nd Infantry Division Public Affairs
BAQUBAH — A joint press conference with a Coalition and Iraqi Army (IA) officer was held recently at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, to discuss the success of Iraqi security forces (ISF) in Diyala province. Lt. Col. Marshall Dougherty, commander of 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., and Gen. Rasheed Abed al-Kareem Abed al-Qader, executive officer of the 5th Iraqi Army Division, started with comments on the reopening of a key road linking Baqubah with Baghdad.
The road had been closed for 16 months due to be it being heavily planted with improvised explosive devices (IED) by al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI).
“The highway is now open for travel,” Dougherty said. “After the operation was over, Iraqi and U.S. engineers worked to repair the highway that was damaged by roadside bombs.”
Standoff in an Iraqi province
By Garrett Therolf, Los Angeles Times
BAGHDAD -- A potential security crisis loomed Saturday in troubled Diyala province as significant numbers of a U.S.-funded force of Sunni fighters left their posts, demanding the ouster of the provincial police chief.
"You can imagine what danger will face the region in the next days," said Abu Talib, commander of 2,000 to 3,000 so-called Sons of Iraq fighters. His men, many of them former insurgents, turned against the militant group Al Qaeda in Iraq last year under the Awakening banner.
Operation Phantom Phoenix
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – The Iraqi Army found two kidnap victims and Coalition Forces killed three al-Qaeda in Iraq operatives and detained seven suspected AQI during Operation Blackhawk Thrasher near Qubah, approximately four miles northeast of Zaganiyah, Iraq, Feb. 7. This is part of the countrywide Operation Phantom Phoenix.
During the joint operation, which involved the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police and Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, Coalition Forces detained seven suspected AQI during village clearing operations. One AQI was killed by an Air Weapons Team and two more were killed in a firefight with CF in palm groves directly west of Qubah.
Two ton explosives cache found in Salah ad Din province
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAYJI, Iraq – Iraqi Police, Sons of Iraq and Coalition Forces discovered a 4,400 pound cache of explosives, in Salah ad Din province during a joint operation, Feb. 6.
Iraqi Police and SOI noticed freshly disturbed dirt off an unimproved road. Coalition Forces investigated the site with IP and SOI assistance. Buried under a hidden tarp were 40 bags filled with a mixture of ammonia nitrate and cocoa powder, each weighing approximately 110 pounds or 50 kilograms. This mixture is commonly used as a homemade explosive commonly used by al-Qaeda in Iraq.
“The Iraqi Police and the Sons of Iraq are committed to bringing stability to their country,” said Lt. Col. William W. Prior, commander of the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. “They prove this on a daily basis. Today they were able to make a significant impact in securing their country, their homes and their families.”
Additionally, IP, SOI and CF consisting of 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment and 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment cleared several villages in the area.
Mobile Gun System brings the heat in Iraq
Here's another article regarding the new MGS Stryker variant. See previous article as well.
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq — The Stryker Mobile Gun System’s automatic loader clinks and clanks as it feeds a high-explosive shell into the breech.
A few seconds later, the menacing cannon fires with a thunderous crack, sending a 105mm round downrange, where it blows a big hole in a dirt berm.
The new direct-fire weapon arrived in Iraq for the first time when the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, deployed 10 months ago. The MGS is one of 10 variants of the Stryker series of wheeled and armored vehicle.
Militants stake claim on Diyala River valley
Strykers are mentioned near the end of this article - it's unclear which unit the reporter is referring to, however.
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
DIYALA RIVER VALLEY, IRAQ -- They first appeared about 18 months ago: masked gunmen in speeding cars and scooters that kick up the mud along the canals weaving through lonely villages here.
The invaders pinned notices on the walls of mosques informing residents that they now lived in the Islamic State of Iraq.
On patrol with the US army in Iraq
With the 1-38 INF, 4/2 SBCT in Diyala. Follow the link for video clips as well.
Until recently Baquba, the provincial capital of Diyala, was held by the Sunni militant group al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The US military have broken their hold and are now clearing houses of arms caches and supporting both the Iraqi army and the Sunni militia - known to the US military as Concerned Local Citizens - in their attempts to hold the city.
The Desert Raider - February Edition
Update: Fixed the link.
The Desert Raider magazine is a monthly publication distributed by the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 4/2 SBCT community.
Provided below is a link to the most recent edition. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the document, but it is available for free if you need it.
- The Desert Raider - February 2008 Edition (PDF, 4.3 MB)
U.S. troops exposed to chlorine gas
By Richard Tomkins, The Washington Times
BAQOUBA, Iraq — Two dozen U.S. soldiers and their interpreters were rushed to a hospital by helicopter this week from Diyala province's "bread basket" after being exposed to chlorine gas while destroying an al Qaeda explosives cache.
Military sources said all but four of the 26 persons were quickly returned to duty. The remainder stayed longer at the U.S. military hospital at Ballad, northeast of Baghdad, for additional observation.
New Stryker Faring Poorly in Field
A not-so-flattering article regarding the Mobile Gun System variant first fielded by the 4/2 SBCT in Iraq.
By Christian Lowe, Military.com
BAQUBAH, Iraq - The newest version of the Army's popular Stryker combat vehicle is garnering poor reviews here from Soldiers assigned to man its tank-like hull.
The General Dynamics Corp.-built Mobile Gun System looks like a typical eight-wheeled Stryker, except for a massive 105mm gun mounted on its roof. The gun fires three different types of projectiles, including explosive rounds, tank-busters and a "canister round" that ejects hundreds of steel pellets similar to a shotgun shell.
Model planes earn their stripes in war
By Richard Tomkins, The Washington Times
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY, Iraq — Flying model airplanes might not seem like fit work for grown men, especially soldiers.
But the use of "unmanned aerial vehicles," or UAVs, is transforming the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing U.S. commanders with real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target-acquisition data that was never available before.
Thirty al Qaeda in Iraq killed in Diyala
The Long War Journal has a brief update on recent coalition operations in Diyala, where the 4/2 SBCT and elements of the 2nd Stryker Cav. Regiment are based. Excerpt:
Iraqi and Coalition forces continue to press the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq in the northeastern province of Diyala, where the terror group maintains small pockets. In the latest series of raids as part of Operation Raider Harvest, Iraqi and US forces killed 30 al Qaeda operatives and captured 21, including a senior al Qaeda leader, during raids and operations.
Fort Lewis mourns Cpl. Jason Lemke
By Melissa Santos, The News Tribune
Fellow soldiers remembered Cpl. Jason Lemke as a dedicated father and source of comedic relief during a memorial service for the fallen infantryman Wednesday at Fort Lewis.
Lemke, 30, died Jan. 5 after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Ibrahim Al Adham, Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division – the Stryker brigade that has lost 34 soldiers since deploying in April.
Operation Raider Harvest Reaps the Breadbasket
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Coalition and Iraqi army soldiers are focusing their combat strength on clearing al-Qaida from Diyala province, Iraq, in support of Operation Raider Harvest. The operation is a part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, an Iraq wide offensive to destroy AQI and provide stability to the Iraqi government.
Operation Raider Harvest, executed by the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is a complex mission with many moving parts and several phases.
“Deny, hold and build,” said 4-2 SBCT Commander Col. Jon Lehr. “We must deny safe haven to al-Qaida and other insurgents throughout our area of responsibility wherever they hope to find it. We must set the conditions for Iraqi security forces to hold these hard fought areas so they don’t slip back into the enemy’s hands. And we must assist the government of Iraq to build the economic, governance and essential services infrastructures in these areas.”
Coalition disrupts al-Qaeda in Iraq operating in Diyala
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed 15 terrorists Tuesday and today during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks north of Baqubah.
During an operation Tuesday, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an alleged leader for the al-Qaeda in Iraq network operating in the Diyala province. The targeted individual is believed to be an improvised explosive device specialist involved in coordinating IED and suicide-vest attacks in the region. Reports also indicate the targeted individual has ties to several al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders.
As Coalition forces arrived in the target area, they observed several individuals reach for their weapons. Coalition forces fired warning shots in an attempt to get the men to cease their actions, but they did not comply. Perceiving hostile intent from the armed men, Coalition forces engaged, killing two terrorists, to include the wanted individual.
Operation Gratitude Gives Jeep to Soldier in Iraq
Clarification: The vehicle was donated by the Jeep brand of Chrysler LLC.
BAQUBAH, Iraq – Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to deployed service members, surprised an unknowing Soldier with a 2008 Jeep Liberty at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq, Jan. 22. The free car was in celebration of meeting their goal of 300,000 packages sent to Soldiers.
Spc. Michael Gallagher from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., was the recipient of Operation Gratitude’s special care package.
MND-North Soldiers liberate 2 from al Qaeda prison
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Coalition forces liberated two Iraqi males with signs of torture from an al-Qaeda prison near Arab Jabar, south of Baquba in the early morning hours of Jan. 20.
Soldiers of 2-1 Cavalry, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered the building, which was closed off by a heavy, deadbolt-locked door. The Soldiers were clearing the area of AQI in support of Operation Raider Harvest, the Diyala province portion of Operation Phantom Phoenix – a country-wide offensive to rid Iraq of extremists.
“We could hear voices inside the room,” said Spc. Christopher Nollenberg, a cavalry scout with 2-1 CAV., who was one of the first to enter the chamber. “They called out for help and told us they were prisoners.”
Photos: Strykers in Action
DVIDS has a number of new photo albums featuring all three Stryker Brigades in Iraq right now. Start here and work your way back through the archives.
US-Iraqi troops sweep Al Qaeda village haven
Link via FOB Tacoma.
By Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor
Hussein Al-Hamadi, Iraq - The first sign of the presence of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) looms out of the frozen darkness on the edge of this remote village. A white car is found hidden under a canopy of trees. It's not rigged to explode, but it was used by the insurgents. Inside, they've left behind a list of expenses on a yellow notepad.
For the month of November, the ledger notes that AQI paid snipers 273,000 Iraqi dinars ($230). Roadside bombers got twice that amount. The largest single expense: $3,000 paid to "martyrs" and their families.
The document is topped with an obscure name for the militant cell, and signed simply: "The Management."
MND-North Soldiers capture Baquba extremist cell leader
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers detained a suspected IED and suicide-bomb cell leader during a targeted raid in Baquba Jan. 16.
The suspect is linked to an extremist network spanning from Baquba to Samarra and his cell is allegedly responsible for recent IED activity in the Baquba market, Amin School, and the Jan. 9 house-borne improvised explosive device that resulted in the death of six U.S. Soldiers.
The suspect is also believed to be linked to a Syrian suicide-bombing facilitator and recent intelligence reports indicate he has requested suicide bombers from Mosul.
Soldiers from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division captured the suspect with an AK-47 and extended magazine.
“(The suspect) is tied into the suicide-vest cell in old Baquba that we have been targeting, and this capture should lead to the arrest of several more members of this suicide cell,” said Capt. Andy Padden, 2-12 Field Artillery. “Taking him off the streets will likely lower the amount of IEDs in all of Diyala province.”
Update: Operation Phantom Phoenix
The Long War Journal has an extensive update on the progress of Operation Phantom Phoenix, which is ongoing.
Lufkin soldier in stable condition
Here's an update on a 4/2 SBCT soldier who was recently wounded in Iraq.
By NICK WADE, The Lufkin Daily News
LUFKIN — A soldier from Lufkin was in stable condition Monday after sustaining serious injuries while on duty in Iraq.
Specialist David Daniel Corley was on patrol Thursday near Baquba, Iraq, when he was struck by enemy fire. The bullet shattered Corley's left jaw and passed into his neck, causing two fractured cervical vertebrae. The impact caused Corley to fall and injure his right shoulder, and fracture his right ankle.
‘Operation Raider Harvest’ Provides Humanitarian Aid
Story by Spc. John Crosby, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MANSURIYAH — Operation Raider Harvest, a large scale operation in the Northern Diyala River Valley involving more than 4,000 troops from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is shifting focus from a clearing operation to a rebuilding operation.
The changes are showing in the streets. Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets of Mansuriyah, Jan. 13, some to observe their new Iraqi Army and Coalition Force neighbors, others to collect bags full of rice and flour during a humanitarian aid (HA) drop conducted by Soldiers of Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR).
“We are working to establish projects to improve life support and improve the infrastructure,” said Capt. Robert Green, Grim Troop Commander, 2-3 ACR.
Combat engineers help take back the ”Bread Basket”
Click through for photos as well.
By Spc. John Crosby, 4/2 SBCT PAO
MANSURIYAH, Iraq – On Jan. 10, in one of the most dangerous places in Iraq, the combat engineers of 1st Platoon, 38th Engineer Company formed a circle, putting their arms around each other with their hands in the middle. They proudly exclaimed their platoon motto as they raised their hands in unison. They then slowly bowed their heads in prayer, asking for guidance before embarking into the Diyala province area known as the “Bread Basket.”
Since May, the men of the 38th Engineer Company have put their lives on the line on an almost daily basis, searching for improvised explosive devices along some of the most dangerous roads in the world. The day’s mission, however, is especially dangerous, as the engineers must clear routes into the northern Diyala River Valley, an area al-Qaida in Iraq has called home for several years.
Operation Raider Harvest Transitions Focus From Enemy to the People
MANSURIYAH, Iraq – Operation Raider Harvest, a large scale operation in the Northern Diyala River Valley involving more than 4,000 troops from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is shifting focus from a clearing operation, to a rebuilding operation.
The streets are showing changes. Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets of Mansuriyah, Iraq, Jan. 13, some to observe their new Iraqi army and coalition forces neighbors, others to collect bags full of rice and flour during a humanitarian aid drop conducted by Soldiers of Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
“We are working to establish projects to improve life support and improve the infrastructure,” said Capt. Robert Green, Grim Troop Commander, 2-3 ACR.
Diyala Provincial Governor Visits Muqdadiyah Officials
MUQDADIYAH, Iraq – Diyala Provincial Governor Ra’ad Rasheed Hameed Al Mullah visited local representatives of qa’da (county) governments located in and around Muqdadiyah at Forward Operating Base Normandy, Iraq, Jan. 14.
The intent was to bring the director generals or the technocrats of all the key essential services including water, electricity, health, education, municipalities and oil here to link them up with their counterparts at the qa’da level, said the Reconciliations Engagement Officer Maj. Nicholas Difiore of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash.
Middle East Times reporter hurt by IED
Here's more on a story we posted yesterday.
By RICHARD TOMKINS, Middle East Times
The improvised explosive device, or IED, is al-Qaida's weapon of choice in the war in Iraq. Encountering one, whether soldier or civilian, is simply a matter of chance or fate, unless you are a U.S, military combat engineer. Then it is a question of "when" rather than "if."
Combat engineers in any country's military are the unsung heroes of war. They are upfront, ahead of the so-called "tip of the spear" infantry. They destroy obstacles and construct bridges and paths the foot soldier must pass through to reach their objective. In Iraq, they also seek out the IEDs terrorists and insurgents use to great effect.
I accompanied one such unit last week and learned firsthand the difference between imagining what it's like to be blown up by an IED and actually experiencing it.
U.S. finishing al Qaeda sweep in Diyala
Another link via FOB Tacoma.
By Richard Tomkins, The Washington Times
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY, Iraq — U.S. military forces say they have largely completed combat operations and are working to consolidate their gains after a six-day push into the so-called "Bread Basket" area of Diyala province.
Clearing operations still are under way in the area, military authorities said, but day-to-day security will be handed over increasingly to Iraqi army and police units. A network of Concerned Local Citizens groups — an armed neighborhood-watch organization — also will be buttressed and expanded.
"Although decisive, the combat operations will likely not have as great of an effect as the next phases," said Lt. Col. James Brown, executive officer of 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division.
Iraq offensive: Clear out militants – and stay
Link via FOB Tacoma.
By Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor
BAQUBAH, Iraq - US forces are solidifying control over some of the most persistent militant strongholds of Al Qaeda in Iraq northeast of Baghdad, drawing on a new counterinsurgency model that has already seen some success in troubled Diyala Province.
The newly established US military control over what officers call the "breadbasket" – the lush Diyala River Valley 70 miles northeast of the capital – is only the first part of a multiprong strategy to boost numbers of Iraqi Army and police in the area and re-connect beleaguered local authorities to the provincial government and Baghdad.
"We [and] the Iraqi forces and government are committing ourselves to staying in this area, which has previously not happened," says Lt. Col. James Brown, executive officer of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "It's been go in, find Al Qaeda in Iraq, kill them, and then leave. Big surprise, they come right back."
Operation Raider Harvest holding phase begins
Multi-National Division – North PAO
TIKRIT, Iraq – Raider Harvest, an operation designed to clear al-Qaeda in Iraq from the northern Diyala River Valley, and keep them out, will soon switch into the holding phase as part of Operation Phantom Phoenix.
During the clearing phase, which began Jan. 8 and is currently ongoing, Coalition Forces killed four enemy fighters, wounded another four and detained 24 individuals.
In addition, CF also discovered and cleared 13 improvised explosive devices, 10 vehicleborn IEDs, four house-born IEDs and 15 weapon caches.
`A hideous accident'
By Wendy Thomas Russell, Press-Telegram
LONG BEACH - For five months last year, Long Beach resident Leon Ayers was among the tens of thousands of American fathers wishing for the safe return of their sons from the war in Iraq.
In September, Ayers got his wish - but it wasn't the homecoming he had imagined.
Timothy Ayers, then 20, was sent back to the United States after accidentally shooting and killing his Army platoon sergeant while stationed outside Baghdad Sept. 5. The Army since has accused the young soldier of negligently discharging his weapon under Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Update: Operation Phantom Phoenix
The Long War Journal has a detailed update on the progress of Operation Phantom Phoenix. Excerpt:
Further north, Iraqi and Coalition forces are pressing the attack in Miqdadiyah as part of Operation Iron Harvest. Miqdadiyah is a known al Qaeda haven.US and Iraqi forces liberated six villages from al Qaeda control in the region near Miqdadiyah, Iraqi army Major General Abdul Karim al Rubaie, the director of operations in central Diyala province told AFP.
"The villages have been under the control of al-Qaeda for a long time," Rubaie. "We have taken them back and al-Qaeda has been chased out." Ten al Qaeda were reported killed and 20 captured during the operation.
Battling in the Bread Basket
Riding with the 2-23 INF, 4/2 SBCT in Diyala.
By Lennox Samuels, Newsweek Web Exclusive
Operation Iron Harvest began in the dark of night, as Blackfoot Company soldiers marched across the bridge leading from their K-Wal combat outpost in Shakarat and headed toward the village of Sinsil some 500 yards away. It could have been another nighttime mission, but in fact was the opening maneuver in a determined U.S. military operation to drive Al Qaeda in Iraq out of Diyala province. In the next few hours the Americans would narrowly escape an IED attack, face sniper fire and establish a beachhead for the expected final onslaught on Al Qaeda.
Hounded from Anbar province and other hiding places, the insurgents have descended on their longtime stronghold of Diyala to wage a murderous stealth effort built around IED detonations and high-profile suicide and bombing attacks. But the U.S. forces believe they are slowly beating them back and have deployed some 24,000 U.S. troops and 50,000 Iraqi Army soldiers to take part in the four-province operation. "We want to put a stake in [them] and be done with it," says Brig. Gen. James Boozer, assistant commander in chief of Multinational Division-North, in a briefing before the launch.
The Desert Raider - January Edition
The Desert Raider magazine is a monthly publication distributed by the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) public affairs office. It features photos, articles and other items of interest to the 4/2 SBCT community.
Provided below is a link to the most recent edition. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the document, but it is available for free if you need it.
- The Desert Raider - January 2008 Edition (PDF, 3.53 MB)
U.S. Offensive Targets al Qaeda in Northern Iraq
Click through for a photo of a 4/2 SBCT soldier clearing a house with a military working dog.
WASHINGTON (AFPS Jan. 10, 2008) - American military forces in northern Iraq launched an offensive this week targeting al Qaeda elements operating in the region.
Code-named "Iron Harvest," the operation dovetails with Operation Phantom Phoenix, a countrywide anti-insurgent offensive announced Tuesday by Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, senior officers told reporters during a Baghdad news conference.
New Iraq offensive: 9 U.S. deaths in 2 days
Hal Bernton of The Seattle Times contributed to this report originally published by The New York Times.
By STEPHEN FARRELL and RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr., The New York Times
ARAB HAMADAH, Iraq — In one of the deadliest stretches for U.S. troops in months, militants killed nine soldiers in the volatile Sunni Arab heartlands north of Baghdad as the military launched its third offensive in a year to dislodge Sunni guerrillas from sanctuaries deep within the lush farmlands and palm groves of Diyala province.
Six of the U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday at an unspecified location in Diyala in part of the offensive when insurgents detonated a large bomb hidden inside a house. Four other soldiers were wounded, and an Iraqi interpreter was killed.
The military did not release further information, but in Diyala, northeast of Baghdad, house bombs have long been a staple weapon for Sunni fighters who try to lure soldiers inside booby-trapped buildings. [...]
Nine U.S. soldiers killed
Michael Gilbert of The News Tribune contributed to the following report originally published by The Washington Post.
AMIT R. PALEY AND JOSHUA PARTLOW; The Washington Post
FORWARD OPERATING BASE NORMANDY, Iraq – A house booby-trapped with explosives killed six American soldiers on Wednesday during an offensive against Sunni insurgents in Diyala province.
The blast, which also killed an Iraqi translator and injured four U.S. soldiers, took place on the second day of an unusually large campaign in Diyala against the insurgent group al-Qaida in Iraq. On Tuesday, three American troops were shot to death in the neighboring northern province of Salahuddin.
Fort Lewis officials said Wednesday that they hadn’t been notified of any new casualties. The post’s 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division has hundreds of soldiers in the thick of the Diyala offensive.
Photos: Recent Stryker Operations
Provided below are links to photo albums featuring recent operations by Stryker soldiers.
- Diayla Raid (6 photos) - Alongside the 4/2 SBCT during Operation Iron Harvest
- Operation Raider Harvest Sweeps Diyala Province (4 photos) - Alongside the 4/2 SBCT during Operation Iron Harvest
- Warrior Strykers Start Rolling in Iraq (9 photos) - 2/25 SBCT arrives in Taji
MND-North Soldiers kill 4 extremists, destroy HBIED
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed four extremists and destroyed a house-borne improvised explosive device near Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, with air strikes Jan. 6.
Soldiers of Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team operating at Patrol Base Key West spotted four individuals with RPGs and AK-47s operating in and around a nearby building.
The Soldiers watched them unroll wire around the building, possibly setting it up to be a HBIED.
The ground commander called in an air strike, and a Coalition Forces’ helicopter fired a hellfire missile at the building. Minutes later, Coalition Forces’ aircraft dropped two bombs on the structure.
After the second bomb, large secondary explosions and different kinds of smoke were observed at the site by the MND-N Soldiers. Exploitation of the site revealed wire around the building, confirming that the building was rigged as a HBIED.
Stryker soldiers lead new offensive
SINSIL, Iraq – The U.S. military launched a major offensive early Tuesday – with Fort Lewis Stryker troops at the forefront – against one of the largest known redoubts of al-Qaida in Iraq.
About 4,000 U.S. and Iraqi forces, backed by war planes and attack helicopters, swept into the northern Diyala River Valley overnight in the opening salvo of the latest effort to flush the Sunni Arab militant network and its affiliates out of their havens, the U.S. military said.
The effort is led by troops from the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis and from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, a unit previously based at Fort Lewis, according to news reports.
Operation Iron Harvest clears al-Qaeda from northern Iraq
Apparently the 4/2 SBCT portion of Operation Phantom Phoenix is called Operation Iron Harvest.
Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers began Operation Iron Harvest to pursue al-Qaeda in Iraq and extremist elements from the region.
The operation, which looks to expand on the successes of Operation Iron Reaper, also focuses on disrupting funding sources and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device networks and denying enemy safe havens in northern Iraq.
“We are pressuring al-Qaeda wherever they go,” said Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, commanding general of Coalition Forces in the north. “Working together, Iraqi and Coalition Forces will rid the north of extremist violence and will pave the way for a secure and safe northern Iraq.”
Operation Iron Harvest is a part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, an overarching operation to defeat extremism throughout all of Iraq.
Iron Harvest operations began with the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and the 5th Iraqi Army Division clearing the Diyala Province of enemy fighters to end insurgent attacks. Operations are now being concentrated in Muqdadiyah.
“The strength of the ISF and CF partnership ultimately provides a benefit for the Iraqi people to move forward,” said Brig. Gen. James Boozer, deputy commanding general for operations, Multi-national Division – North.
U.S. Attack in Iraq Is No Surprise to Many Insurgents
Here's more on Operation Phantom Phoenix from the NYT. Elements of the 2nd Stryker CR are also involved.
By STEPHEN FARRELL, The New York Times
ESAIWID, Iraq — With extraordinary secrecy, and even an information blackout aimed at most of their Iraqi Army comrades, American troops launched a major offensive on Tuesday to drive Sunni insurgents from strongholds in Diyala Province. But many insurgents still managed to flee the first villages the Americans went into, showing just how difficult it is to trap the elusive militants.
Because at least half the insurgents escaped before a previous offensive last June, American planners deliberately kept most Iraqi units in the dark before this one was launched, a tactic that suggests they cannot fully trust the allies who are supposed to pick up more of the fighting as American troops scale back their presence later this year.
The militants may have been tipped by leaks or by the visible movements of troops and machinery that precede any operation.
Operation Phantom Phoenix
The Long War Journal outlines this major coalition operation, which just kicked off. One of the primary targets will no doubt be the Diyala Province, which is the area of operations for the 4/2 SBCT (see previous article in LA Times). Excerpt:
Despite the recent success in reducing the violence in Iraq, the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq and the Shia extremist terror groups is not over. Coalition and Iraqi forces have launched Operation Phantom Phoenix, a new operation targeting the terror groups throughout Iraq.The scope of Phantom Phoenix is nationwide. The operation is "a series of joint Iraqi and Coalition division- and brigade-level operations to pursue and neutralize remaining al-Qaeda in Iraq and other extremist elements," Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, the commander of Multinational Corps – Iraq stated. "Phantom Phoenix will synchronize lethal and non-lethal effects to exploit recent security gains and disrupt terrorist support zones and enemy command and control."
The specific geographical locations targeted during Phantom Phoenix were not identified. Iraqi and Coalition forces will "pursue al-Qaeda and other extremists wherever they attempt to take sanctuary," Odierno said.
The region northeast of Miqdadiyah will be a primary focus of the operation. Al Qaeda in Iraq has established a "haven" in the region, and has used this base to funnel attacks against Awakening and Concerned Local Citizens groups attempting to establish in the Baqubah region.
The bulk of the recent uptick in violence in Baghdad is also believed to be staged from Diyala province, a senior military officer who asked not to be named told The Long War Journal. Al Qaeda in Iraq killed the leader of the Adhamiyah Awakening in Baghdad on January 7, while suicide and small arms attacks against Awakening groups has risen since al Qaeda's leadership called for a campaign against the anti-al Qaeda forces.
U.S. troops raid Diyala River Valley
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
SENSIL, Iraq -- Under cover of darkness early today, U.S. soldiers crept across a bridge where just days before insurgents had left a chilling warning: a severed human head with a message identifying the victim as a U.S. collaborator scrawled across the forehead with a black marker.
About 4,000 U.S. and Iraqi forces, backed by war planes an