UMM QASR, Iraq (NNS) -- The Navy formally delivered the sixth 35-meter patrol boat (P-305) to the Iraqi navy at the Umm Qasr naval facility in Iraq Nov. 3, after the ship successfully completed reactivation in Bahrain, Oct. 23.
The seamless reactivation enabled delivery to an Iraqi naval base one week ahead of schedule.
"The team has once again succeeded in lending their expertise in boat construction and acquisition to deliver another quality asset to our international partners," said Frank McCarthey, program manager for Support Ships, Boats and Craft. "We look forward to officially transferring custody of P-305 to the Iraqi Navy to aid in their mission of securing their maritime sovereignty."
The delivery of P-305 follows the successful delivery and transfer of custody of P-304 and P-306 in August this year. The next coastal patrol craft is scheduled to deliver to Iraq in December.
The Support Ships, Boats and Craft Program Office in the U.S Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO), Ships, is managing the acquisition of the patrol boats as a foreign military sales case. There are currently six patrol boats remaining under construction in this case.
The U.S. Navy and Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, Morgan City, La., are supporting the Iraqi Navy in the procurement and construction of up to fifteen 35-meter armored patrol boats. The boat is armed with a 30mm gun weapon system, provides for a crew of 25 and is capable of reaching 30 knots.
PEO Ships is currently managing the design and construction of all U.S. Navy destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, as well as a wide range of small boats and craft for U.S. agencies and allied nations. Since its creation in November 2002, PEO Ships has delivered more than 40 warships and hundreds of small boats and craft from more than 20 shipyards and boat builders across the United States.
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Friday, November 04, 2011
Thursday, September 09, 2010
'New Dawn' Soldiers Arrive in Iraq
WASHINGTON - As the first U.S. soldiers to deploy exclusively for Operation New Dawn have arrived in southern Iraq, officials are investigating a shooting incident that left two American soldiers dead and nine others wounded in Iraq's Salahuddin province yesterday.
The lead elements of 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas, have arrived in Iraq and are preparing for their new mission. The regiment previously deployed three times during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Known as the "Brave Rifles," the combat-capable, brigade-sized unit will continue the mission of advising and assisting Iraqi security forces in five southern provinces. The unit replaces the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade, one of the first heavy brigade combat teams configured for an advise-and-assist role. The 3rd Brigade deployed from Fort Benning, Ga., a year ago under Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Brave Rifles will operate under the 1st Infantry Division headquarters as part of U.S. Division South. The unit will advise and assist Iraqi army, federal police and border guard units, as well as State Department-led teams.
Operation New Dawn represents a change in the mission of U.S. forces in Iraq from combat missions conducted by U.S. forces to stability operations conducted by Iraqi security forces with U.S. advice and assistance.
Meanwhile, U.S. Forces Iraq officials have begun an investigation into the Salahuddin shooting, in which an Iraqi soldier also was killed.
A preliminary review of reports from the scene indicates the attack was deliberate, officials said, adding that the detailed investigation will clarify the facts and actions of all involved.
Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, a U.S. Forces Iraq spokesman, expressed condolences to the families of the soldiers killed or wounded.
"Though this incident is tragic and our first concern is for our comrades and their families," he added, "it doesn't affect our strong commitment to the mission of advising and assisting the Iraqi security forces as they continue to sacrifice each day for security and stability in their nation. We stand firmly beside them."
The lead elements of 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas, have arrived in Iraq and are preparing for their new mission. The regiment previously deployed three times during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Known as the "Brave Rifles," the combat-capable, brigade-sized unit will continue the mission of advising and assisting Iraqi security forces in five southern provinces. The unit replaces the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade, one of the first heavy brigade combat teams configured for an advise-and-assist role. The 3rd Brigade deployed from Fort Benning, Ga., a year ago under Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Brave Rifles will operate under the 1st Infantry Division headquarters as part of U.S. Division South. The unit will advise and assist Iraqi army, federal police and border guard units, as well as State Department-led teams.
Operation New Dawn represents a change in the mission of U.S. forces in Iraq from combat missions conducted by U.S. forces to stability operations conducted by Iraqi security forces with U.S. advice and assistance.
Meanwhile, U.S. Forces Iraq officials have begun an investigation into the Salahuddin shooting, in which an Iraqi soldier also was killed.
A preliminary review of reports from the scene indicates the attack was deliberate, officials said, adding that the detailed investigation will clarify the facts and actions of all involved.
Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, a U.S. Forces Iraq spokesman, expressed condolences to the families of the soldiers killed or wounded.
"Though this incident is tragic and our first concern is for our comrades and their families," he added, "it doesn't affect our strong commitment to the mission of advising and assisting the Iraqi security forces as they continue to sacrifice each day for security and stability in their nation. We stand firmly beside them."
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Dover Airmen fly first C-5M to Iraq
by Staff Sgt. Chad Padgett, 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AFNS) -- A Dover Air Force Base C-5M Super Galaxy aircrew delivering over 85,000 pounds of equipment for troops supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and was the first C-5M to land in Iraq in late January.
Dover AFB officials have three C-5M aircraft that have completed the operational testing phase and are about to enter the conversion phase.
"It's satisfying to get the aircraft into the fight delivering much needed supplies to the troops in the field," said Lt. Col. Mike Semo, the 709th Airlift Squadron pilot and C-5M Program Office chief.
The aircraft not only delivered the cargo on short notice, but also was able to arrive back to base ahead of schedule.
"Everyone in the C-5 community, including our crew, is very aware of past, present and future C-5M operations," said Capt. Nicholas Cobb, a 9th Airlift Squadron C-5M evaluator pilot. "When the 9th AS was tasked with this Operation Iraqi Freedom channel mission on Jan. 18, we knew this would be the first C-5M mission to actually land in Iraq. The entire crew was extremely excited and proud of this first-time accomplishment. Not only did we successfully accomplish the mission, but also we were four for four with on-time takeoffs, demonstrating the improved reliability of the C-5M. We arrived at Dover almost 1.5 hours earlier than originally scheduled by the (618th) Tanker Airlift Control Center."
Once the aircraft has been approved for direct delivery capability, Dover AFB aircrews will be able to fly cargo directly to Iraq without stopping to refuel.
"We've tested the ability to fly this aircraft directly to the Middle East with 33 direct flights to Incirlik, Turkey and returning direct Dover," Colonel Semo said. "Now that it's been tested and proven, the only requirement is the final approval to be able to accomplish direct flights. This will allow us to develop a wider range of strategic abilities around the C-5M aircraft and will significantly decrease the time the aircraft spends on the ground. In some cases, this will save us over a day in travel time."
After setting 41 world records with the C-5M, being the first to fly the aircraft into Iraq, the Dover AFB aircrew is already looking toward the next first, using the aircraft to fly supplies to Airmen in Afghanistan.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Ohio NG Troops Return in Time for Christmas
For some military families Christmas will be extra special because they'll be spending it with their loved ones who've just returned from war.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
'Signaleers' Keep Communications Open
By Army 1st Lt. Dannielle Needler, Special to American Forces Press Service
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - The morale of troops here and success of their missions depends upon communication, whether it's within Iraq or calling back home.
Keeping communications open for the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade is the responsibility of "signaleers" -- technicians who enable the commander to send key tactical messages and allow soldiers to make morale calls home.
The newly promoted team chief for the joint network node here is Army Sgt. Brandon Larson from Coon Rapids, Minn. He and his operators -- Army Sgt. Adrien Zavala from Jal, N.M.; Army Spc. Andrew Nelson from Greenfield, Ind.; Army Spc. Aaron Stevens from Fayetteville, N.C.; and Army Spc. Victor Crum from Montgomery, Ala. -- emplace equipment, run cables and provide the access point for the rest of the brigade's communications.
"At the beginning, everything that could go wrong did go wrong," Larson said. But despite the challenges and obstacles throughout the emplacement process, the soldiers of "B" Company were able to remain focused on the mission, he added.
Soldiers of Joint Network Node 92 here have been working around the clock to provide tactical communications for the brigade's headquarters and its subordinate battalions. They provide services such as Internet phones, Internet connectivity and a secure data network so commanders can have command and control over every operation.
Working just as hard at Contingency Operating Site Garryowen, the soldiers of Joint Network Node 7791 provide vital communication services to 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. Army Sgt. Jeryll Delmar from Grapevine, Texas, and Army Spc. Paul Weigand of Manhattan, Kan., established and maintain a satellite link connecting the regiment's command to the rest of the brigade.
"It's amazing how important our mission is to the brigade," Delmar said.
"The soldiers' hard work has given the battalion the ability to communicate with counterparts throughout Iraq and back to the United States," he added. "Without the hard work and dedication of these soldiers, [4th Battalion] would not be able to conduct operations as efficiently in the Iraq theater."
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - The morale of troops here and success of their missions depends upon communication, whether it's within Iraq or calling back home.
Keeping communications open for the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade is the responsibility of "signaleers" -- technicians who enable the commander to send key tactical messages and allow soldiers to make morale calls home.
The newly promoted team chief for the joint network node here is Army Sgt. Brandon Larson from Coon Rapids, Minn. He and his operators -- Army Sgt. Adrien Zavala from Jal, N.M.; Army Spc. Andrew Nelson from Greenfield, Ind.; Army Spc. Aaron Stevens from Fayetteville, N.C.; and Army Spc. Victor Crum from Montgomery, Ala. -- emplace equipment, run cables and provide the access point for the rest of the brigade's communications.
"At the beginning, everything that could go wrong did go wrong," Larson said. But despite the challenges and obstacles throughout the emplacement process, the soldiers of "B" Company were able to remain focused on the mission, he added.
Soldiers of Joint Network Node 92 here have been working around the clock to provide tactical communications for the brigade's headquarters and its subordinate battalions. They provide services such as Internet phones, Internet connectivity and a secure data network so commanders can have command and control over every operation.
Working just as hard at Contingency Operating Site Garryowen, the soldiers of Joint Network Node 7791 provide vital communication services to 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. Army Sgt. Jeryll Delmar from Grapevine, Texas, and Army Spc. Paul Weigand of Manhattan, Kan., established and maintain a satellite link connecting the regiment's command to the rest of the brigade.
"It's amazing how important our mission is to the brigade," Delmar said.
"The soldiers' hard work has given the battalion the ability to communicate with counterparts throughout Iraq and back to the United States," he added. "Without the hard work and dedication of these soldiers, [4th Battalion] would not be able to conduct operations as efficiently in the Iraq theater."
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Face of Defense: Guardsmen Bring Experience to Iraq
By Army Sgt. Neil Gussman, Special to American Forces Press Service
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - National Guard soldiers bring a variety of life and work experiences with them on deployment, and even the smallest unit can include a surprising array of skills and experience.
In October, Task Force Keystone's Alaska-based C Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, needed a crew for a routine flight to two of their remote sites. Illinois' A Company, 1-106th, supplied that crew, which wound up flying a Pennsylvania National Guard Black Hawk helicopter.
The diversity the National Guard embodies is reflected in the jumble of helicopters and crews that came together to accomplish a single mission and is echoed in the stories behind the four Illinois soldiers.
In the left pilot seat was Army Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Schroeder, 38, an instructor pilot with 21 years of service. The Sherman, Ill., native joined the Army in 1988 and served as a UH-1 Huey mechanic for four years before attending flight school.
In 2003, he took a job flying the governor of Illinois. Prior to being deployed in January 2009, he even flew for Gov. Rod Blagojevich before his removal from office.
Schroeder said he enjoyed the times he was able to fly then-Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, and that he looks forward to flying for Quinn, now the governor, when he returns from deployment. Married just a month before he was called back to active duty, this is his second deployment, Schroeder said. He first deployed in 2004 with A Company for 15 months.
In the right pilot seat was Army Chief Warrant Officer Nathan McKean, 31, of Decatur, Ill. McKean has served 12 years, beginning with four years in the Navy, during which he built bombs on the aircraft carrier USS Stennis and served in a combat search-and-rescue unit based in San Diego.
McKean came home in 2001, he said, enrolled in college, and joined the Army National Guard. He trained as a crew chief with B Company, 1-106th. After leaving active duty, he decided he needed a good job that would allow him time off for military duty — lots of time off. In 2002, he took a job as an engineer on the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
But within a year, he was training to go to Iraq, and he left for a 15-month deployment with B Company in 2004. Soon after he returned, McKean went to flight school for a year, then had additional training before his current tour in Iraq, which began in January. He has worked on the railroad for two and a half years, he said.
Behind McKean, on the right side of the Black Hawk, was Army Sgt. Steve Sunzeri, 26, of Naperville, Ill. Sunzeri has six years in the Illinois Army National Guard. From 2003 to 2007, he served as a scout and infantryman with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 106th Cavalry Regiment. In 2006, he completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree in history. In 2007, he reclassified to become a flight crew chief, deploying in 2009 with A Company, 1-106th.
After nearly two years of service in helicopters, Sunzeri said, he plans to return to college to earn a degree in aviation management at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and at the same time to train to be a commercial pilot. "My goal is to fly fixed-wing aircraft for a major airline," he said.
In the meantime, he will earn the ratings necessary to become a fixed-wing pilot while earning his degree, he said. He plans to continue to serve as a crew chief in the Illinois Army National Guard while he attends college and completes flight training.
In the left seat, behind the pilot, was the door gunner, the youngest member of the crew and the one with the most combat deployments.
Army Cpl. Michael Randazzo, 24, of Queens, N.Y., is on his third deployment in six years with the Army National Guard.
He enlisted shortly after graduating from high school, and he served as an infantryman with the New York-based 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment. In May 2004, he deployed with the 1-69th to Baghdad and Taji, and spent the time patrolling and conducting raids. He also worked route clearance on Route Irish.
When he returned from Iraq, Randazzo worked for an executive protection company until June 2008, when he volunteered to return to Iraq as a door gunner with 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment.
Near the end of that tour, he volunteered for a second consecutive tour as a door gunner with Company A, 1-106th. When this tour is complete, Randazzo said, plans to return to New York City and "squeeze in a semester of college" before going to flight school next fall.
After flight school, he said, he will continue his college education until 2012, when he plans to deploy to Afghanistan as an Army helicopter pilot.
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - National Guard soldiers bring a variety of life and work experiences with them on deployment, and even the smallest unit can include a surprising array of skills and experience.
In October, Task Force Keystone's Alaska-based C Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, needed a crew for a routine flight to two of their remote sites. Illinois' A Company, 1-106th, supplied that crew, which wound up flying a Pennsylvania National Guard Black Hawk helicopter.
The diversity the National Guard embodies is reflected in the jumble of helicopters and crews that came together to accomplish a single mission and is echoed in the stories behind the four Illinois soldiers.
In the left pilot seat was Army Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Schroeder, 38, an instructor pilot with 21 years of service. The Sherman, Ill., native joined the Army in 1988 and served as a UH-1 Huey mechanic for four years before attending flight school.
In 2003, he took a job flying the governor of Illinois. Prior to being deployed in January 2009, he even flew for Gov. Rod Blagojevich before his removal from office.
Schroeder said he enjoyed the times he was able to fly then-Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, and that he looks forward to flying for Quinn, now the governor, when he returns from deployment. Married just a month before he was called back to active duty, this is his second deployment, Schroeder said. He first deployed in 2004 with A Company for 15 months.
In the right pilot seat was Army Chief Warrant Officer Nathan McKean, 31, of Decatur, Ill. McKean has served 12 years, beginning with four years in the Navy, during which he built bombs on the aircraft carrier USS Stennis and served in a combat search-and-rescue unit based in San Diego.
McKean came home in 2001, he said, enrolled in college, and joined the Army National Guard. He trained as a crew chief with B Company, 1-106th. After leaving active duty, he decided he needed a good job that would allow him time off for military duty — lots of time off. In 2002, he took a job as an engineer on the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
But within a year, he was training to go to Iraq, and he left for a 15-month deployment with B Company in 2004. Soon after he returned, McKean went to flight school for a year, then had additional training before his current tour in Iraq, which began in January. He has worked on the railroad for two and a half years, he said.
Behind McKean, on the right side of the Black Hawk, was Army Sgt. Steve Sunzeri, 26, of Naperville, Ill. Sunzeri has six years in the Illinois Army National Guard. From 2003 to 2007, he served as a scout and infantryman with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 106th Cavalry Regiment. In 2006, he completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree in history. In 2007, he reclassified to become a flight crew chief, deploying in 2009 with A Company, 1-106th.
After nearly two years of service in helicopters, Sunzeri said, he plans to return to college to earn a degree in aviation management at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and at the same time to train to be a commercial pilot. "My goal is to fly fixed-wing aircraft for a major airline," he said.
In the meantime, he will earn the ratings necessary to become a fixed-wing pilot while earning his degree, he said. He plans to continue to serve as a crew chief in the Illinois Army National Guard while he attends college and completes flight training.
In the left seat, behind the pilot, was the door gunner, the youngest member of the crew and the one with the most combat deployments.
Army Cpl. Michael Randazzo, 24, of Queens, N.Y., is on his third deployment in six years with the Army National Guard.
He enlisted shortly after graduating from high school, and he served as an infantryman with the New York-based 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment. In May 2004, he deployed with the 1-69th to Baghdad and Taji, and spent the time patrolling and conducting raids. He also worked route clearance on Route Irish.
When he returned from Iraq, Randazzo worked for an executive protection company until June 2008, when he volunteered to return to Iraq as a door gunner with 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment.
Near the end of that tour, he volunteered for a second consecutive tour as a door gunner with Company A, 1-106th. When this tour is complete, Randazzo said, plans to return to New York City and "squeeze in a semester of college" before going to flight school next fall.
After flight school, he said, he will continue his college education until 2012, when he plans to deploy to Afghanistan as an Army helicopter pilot.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Soldiers Maintain Electronic Warfare Equipment
By Army 2nd Lt. Sophia Volz, Special to American Forces Press Service
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - It's 2 a.m., and the intelligence electronic warfare maintenance section of the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade here is ready to spark into action.
We're on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week," explained Army Warrant Officer Fernando Aguirre of Los Angeles.
Aguirre spearheads the section, overseeing day-to-day operations, providing guidance to commanders, and mentoring soldiers. The section's 12 soldiers officially are responsible for maintaining all intelligence and communications security equipment used by the military intelligence company assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion.
"Unofficially though, we also fix everything from coffee pots and iPods to satellite dishes," Aguirre said.
Army Sgt. Jonathan Culpepper of Atlanta, the section's shop foreman, spent more than 11 months training for his current job.
"I'm responsible for all maintenance activities," he said. "This is probably one of the most mentally challenging military occupational specialties."
Army Spc. Brent Leverette of Augusta, Ga., is one of two cryptological equipment repair specialists in the section. "I'm responsible for fixing all the [communications security] equipment for the whole brigade combat team," he said. This means he also is responsible for fixing equipment at the more than 15 outlying bases in Iraq's Dhi Qar, Maysan, and Muthanna provinces, where "Highlander" soldiers advise and assist Iraqi security forces.
The section's soldiers also work with civilian field service representatives to ensure equipment is fixed or replaced in a timely manner.
"If we can't fix it, we send the equipment to the [field service representatives]," Aguirre said. "They usually send us a brand new piece of equipment. It doesn't matter how long it takes to fix the equipment. We've worked for 36 hours straight before. We want to be, and are, the premier electronics maintenance shop in the brigade."
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - It's 2 a.m., and the intelligence electronic warfare maintenance section of the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade here is ready to spark into action.
We're on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week," explained Army Warrant Officer Fernando Aguirre of Los Angeles.
Aguirre spearheads the section, overseeing day-to-day operations, providing guidance to commanders, and mentoring soldiers. The section's 12 soldiers officially are responsible for maintaining all intelligence and communications security equipment used by the military intelligence company assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion.
"Unofficially though, we also fix everything from coffee pots and iPods to satellite dishes," Aguirre said.
Army Sgt. Jonathan Culpepper of Atlanta, the section's shop foreman, spent more than 11 months training for his current job.
"I'm responsible for all maintenance activities," he said. "This is probably one of the most mentally challenging military occupational specialties."
Army Spc. Brent Leverette of Augusta, Ga., is one of two cryptological equipment repair specialists in the section. "I'm responsible for fixing all the [communications security] equipment for the whole brigade combat team," he said. This means he also is responsible for fixing equipment at the more than 15 outlying bases in Iraq's Dhi Qar, Maysan, and Muthanna provinces, where "Highlander" soldiers advise and assist Iraqi security forces.
The section's soldiers also work with civilian field service representatives to ensure equipment is fixed or replaced in a timely manner.
"If we can't fix it, we send the equipment to the [field service representatives]," Aguirre said. "They usually send us a brand new piece of equipment. It doesn't matter how long it takes to fix the equipment. We've worked for 36 hours straight before. We want to be, and are, the premier electronics maintenance shop in the brigade."
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Engineers in Iraq Take on New Role
By Army 1st Lt. Brendon Hischar, Special to American Forces Press Service
JOINT SECURITY STATION CONDOR, Iraq - For most soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade "Highlanders," the unit's "advise and assist" mission requires a rethinking of traditional roles in a stability operations environment.
The engineers of 2nd Platoon, Company E, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, are no different.
Some people associate engineers with route clearance here, but that's only a small portion of the much larger combat engineer skill set these soldiers are learning to apply in new ways to support the mission.
Based at Contingency Operating Site Hunter in southern Maysan province and attached to 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Saber, the engineers clear about 400 miles of rural highway each week to allow free and safe movement of U.S. forces and Iraqi civilians. Recently, the engineers began training soldier trainees of 3rd Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, in the use of mine detectors.
Mine detectors not only finding mines or live munitions, but also discover hidden caches of weapons and weapon components in the marshy terrain of Maysan province.
"Finding [weapons] is a priority not only for us, but also for our Iraqi army partners," said Army Maj. Evan Wollen, Task Force Saber operations officer. "Every successful interdiction means less lethal aid ending up in the hands of anti-Iraq forces."
The first training session was classroom instruction focused on mine-detector familiarization and applications. Soldiers gained valuable insight on sweeping techniques for maximum effectiveness. The trainees asked numerous questions of the two primary instructors, combat engineers Army Spc. Carlos Heres and Army Pfc. Ivan Ortega-Rojas, who have extensive mine-detector training.
The training motivated the Iraqis, Ortega-Rojas said. "We are eager to teach them, because they are ready to handle their own security."
Army Sgt. Jacob Irish, a combat engineer who supervised the training, agreed with that assessment.
"[The Iraqi trainees] seemed eager to learn," he said. "They seemed to know exactly what they were going to do with [the mine detector] and how they wanted to use it."
The Iraqi soldiers then moved to lanes training to learn how various objects sound when detected by the mine detector.
The first lanes feature shallowly buried metal objects, such as inert ordnance and metal ammunition links, which kept students engaged and focused on minute changes in the soil. Other lanes simulated deeply buried caches, featuring metal ammunition cans and cardboard boxes filled with inert munitions to illustrate the equipment's sensitivity.
All students had an opportunity to operate the mine detector, probe findings and recover buried objects until the soldiers felt proficient in all tasks assigned.
JOINT SECURITY STATION CONDOR, Iraq - For most soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade "Highlanders," the unit's "advise and assist" mission requires a rethinking of traditional roles in a stability operations environment.
The engineers of 2nd Platoon, Company E, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, are no different.
Some people associate engineers with route clearance here, but that's only a small portion of the much larger combat engineer skill set these soldiers are learning to apply in new ways to support the mission.
Based at Contingency Operating Site Hunter in southern Maysan province and attached to 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Saber, the engineers clear about 400 miles of rural highway each week to allow free and safe movement of U.S. forces and Iraqi civilians. Recently, the engineers began training soldier trainees of 3rd Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, in the use of mine detectors.
Mine detectors not only finding mines or live munitions, but also discover hidden caches of weapons and weapon components in the marshy terrain of Maysan province.
"Finding [weapons] is a priority not only for us, but also for our Iraqi army partners," said Army Maj. Evan Wollen, Task Force Saber operations officer. "Every successful interdiction means less lethal aid ending up in the hands of anti-Iraq forces."
The first training session was classroom instruction focused on mine-detector familiarization and applications. Soldiers gained valuable insight on sweeping techniques for maximum effectiveness. The trainees asked numerous questions of the two primary instructors, combat engineers Army Spc. Carlos Heres and Army Pfc. Ivan Ortega-Rojas, who have extensive mine-detector training.
The training motivated the Iraqis, Ortega-Rojas said. "We are eager to teach them, because they are ready to handle their own security."
Army Sgt. Jacob Irish, a combat engineer who supervised the training, agreed with that assessment.
"[The Iraqi trainees] seemed eager to learn," he said. "They seemed to know exactly what they were going to do with [the mine detector] and how they wanted to use it."
The Iraqi soldiers then moved to lanes training to learn how various objects sound when detected by the mine detector.
The first lanes feature shallowly buried metal objects, such as inert ordnance and metal ammunition links, which kept students engaged and focused on minute changes in the soil. Other lanes simulated deeply buried caches, featuring metal ammunition cans and cardboard boxes filled with inert munitions to illustrate the equipment's sensitivity.
All students had an opportunity to operate the mine detector, probe findings and recover buried objects until the soldiers felt proficient in all tasks assigned.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Brigade Tests New Concept in Iraq
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON - The first new "advise and assist" brigades already in Iraq and others slated to arrive soon have a big leg up on their new mission, thanks to the groundwork laid by the "Highlander" brigade, which provided a test bed for the new concept.
The 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade has been on the ground in Iraq since April, conducting the initial advise and assist operations to pass on to the first officially designated AAB, explained Army Col. Peter Newell, the brigade commander.
The Defense Department announced in July plans to send four of the new brigades to Iraq beginning this fall to train and mentor Iraqi security forces.
The brigades will focus less on traditional combat operations and more on advising, assisting and developing capabilities within the Iraqi security forces, Newell said. They also will conduct coordinated counterterrorism missions and support the State Department's provincial reconstruction teams and other U.S. interagency partners in Iraq.
The first units assigned the mission are the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams based at Fort Stewart Ga., and its 3rd BCT at Fort Benning, Ga.; and the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd BCT at Fort Carson, Colo. In addition, the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade, which recently arrived in Iraq, has taken on the AAB mission.
Newell's job has been to help the new brigades determine what specific skills to train for and how to organize themselves to better conduct their new mission, he told American Forces Press Service by phone from Iraq.
To prepare themselves, his soldiers went through a standard National Training Center rotation focused on counterinsurgency operations, but also sought out additional training in subjects ranging from civil affairs to Iraqi law.
Once they arrived in Iraq, they provided the inbound AABs regular feedback about their activities and the conditions they encountered. They also shared insights into what training benefitted them the most, and what they might have eliminated.
"I am merely providing the insight of the guy who has been tagged with the advise-and-assist proof of principle, and talking to them about changes we have taken on internally, and how they have worked for us," Newell said.
There's no cookie-cutter formula that will work for every such brigade in every Iraqi province, he said. Each must be tailored to the specific environment, based on regular assessments of the local Iraqi security forces' capacity, the maturity of the local provincial government, and the politics within that province, he said.
"What I will tell you is that no two AABs are going to look alike," Newell said. "They have to fine-tune to fit the environment they are in. But if we provide them the right people, the right training and the right training at the right time before they deploy, as long as it is focused on the environment they are going to, they will do well."
"Doing well" for an advise and assist brigade involves a lot more than traditional counterinsurgency operations. Much of the 4th Brigade's work, for example, involves teaching forensics and the evidentiary and judiciary processes to Iraqi police. In another major shift, the brigade's artillery battalion is focused on civil capacity and directly supporting provincial reconstruction teams.
"That is radically different from kicking in doors and how to do a raid and other things," Newell said.
The different focus requires a new mindset for the brigade's soldiers, he said, and a major emphasis on building and maintaining relationships with their Iraqi counterparts.
"Relationships are paramount," Newell said. "When you are in an advise and assist and enable role, it is incumbent on you to work with your counterpart, to couch the training in terms that they can use ... and inculcate it, and in a timeline and capacity that they can actually work with it."
That's not how traditional combat elements have operated in the past, he acknowledged.
It's "a lot different than us coming in and saying, 'Hey, we think you need to do the following three things, and this is how you do it,'" Newell said. "Now, it is a case of sitting down with your counterparts and working with them to understand what it is they need to be doing, and how they want to proceed with the training."
It also entails explaining to the Iraqi security forces what enablers the U.S. troops can provide, if required, to help them do their job.
Toward this end, Newell and his staff spend much of their time with their counterparts within the 10th Iraqi Army Division as well as local provincial police and border enforcement brigade. They also work hand in hand with U.S. interagency partners assigned to the provincial reconstruction teams or otherwise supporting reconstruction and development efforts.
"That permeates so much of what we do," Newell said, noting that the myriad meetings, discussions and other engagements his staff participates in can be "intellectually exhausting."
"But the output of those discussions is so much more productive, because [the Iraqis] are coming to the table and saying, 'This is exactly what I need. I need more of this; I need less of this.'" Newell said. "And when you do that, they show up ready to go, wanting to take the material, and then you see them go out in the field and do it."
At no time was the strength of that relationship-building process more evident than on June 30, as U.S. combat troops left the Iraqi cities, but Newell's soldiers were in more demand than ever.
"I have more soldiers today operating in Iraqi cities than I had prior to the 30th of June. The difference is, they are there because they were invited there, and the Iraqis insist on having them with them," Newell said. "So the [value of] the relationships is a huge lesson learned."
These relationships are growing increasingly strong, because the 4th Brigade soldiers embed directly with the Iraqi partners they work with. "We embed, we don't commute," Newell said of his soldiers. "So if you have an Iraqi brigade that you are working with, the transition team and the company that are partnering with that brigade go live with that brigade, not on a [forward operating base] someplace.
"And their partnerships are so much better for it," he said. "They work together, they live together, they eat together, they play together. They truly are partners out there."
Newell conceded that some of his more junior soldiers, who thought they were going off to war when they deployed, may be less excited about the advise and assist mission than those who've already been in combat.
"In many cases, some of the younger guys will tell you they would rather be in Afghanistan than here doing this," he acknowledged. "But the more senior guys who have been here for awhile, and have been at this for a couple times, will tell you that this is, in many cases, much more emotionally rewarding than their previous experiences here."
The soldiers recognize, Newell said, that they're helping the Iraqis take on new responsibilities that will be critical as the United States scales down its forces in Iraq. "They are seeing success in the Iraqis, and they are seeing themselves drawn into the Iraqi operations by invitation," he said. "And that is a huge difference, if you have been at this for awhile."
WASHINGTON - The first new "advise and assist" brigades already in Iraq and others slated to arrive soon have a big leg up on their new mission, thanks to the groundwork laid by the "Highlander" brigade, which provided a test bed for the new concept.
The 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade has been on the ground in Iraq since April, conducting the initial advise and assist operations to pass on to the first officially designated AAB, explained Army Col. Peter Newell, the brigade commander.
The Defense Department announced in July plans to send four of the new brigades to Iraq beginning this fall to train and mentor Iraqi security forces.
The brigades will focus less on traditional combat operations and more on advising, assisting and developing capabilities within the Iraqi security forces, Newell said. They also will conduct coordinated counterterrorism missions and support the State Department's provincial reconstruction teams and other U.S. interagency partners in Iraq.
The first units assigned the mission are the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams based at Fort Stewart Ga., and its 3rd BCT at Fort Benning, Ga.; and the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd BCT at Fort Carson, Colo. In addition, the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade, which recently arrived in Iraq, has taken on the AAB mission.
Newell's job has been to help the new brigades determine what specific skills to train for and how to organize themselves to better conduct their new mission, he told American Forces Press Service by phone from Iraq.
To prepare themselves, his soldiers went through a standard National Training Center rotation focused on counterinsurgency operations, but also sought out additional training in subjects ranging from civil affairs to Iraqi law.
Once they arrived in Iraq, they provided the inbound AABs regular feedback about their activities and the conditions they encountered. They also shared insights into what training benefitted them the most, and what they might have eliminated.
"I am merely providing the insight of the guy who has been tagged with the advise-and-assist proof of principle, and talking to them about changes we have taken on internally, and how they have worked for us," Newell said.
There's no cookie-cutter formula that will work for every such brigade in every Iraqi province, he said. Each must be tailored to the specific environment, based on regular assessments of the local Iraqi security forces' capacity, the maturity of the local provincial government, and the politics within that province, he said.
"What I will tell you is that no two AABs are going to look alike," Newell said. "They have to fine-tune to fit the environment they are in. But if we provide them the right people, the right training and the right training at the right time before they deploy, as long as it is focused on the environment they are going to, they will do well."
"Doing well" for an advise and assist brigade involves a lot more than traditional counterinsurgency operations. Much of the 4th Brigade's work, for example, involves teaching forensics and the evidentiary and judiciary processes to Iraqi police. In another major shift, the brigade's artillery battalion is focused on civil capacity and directly supporting provincial reconstruction teams.
"That is radically different from kicking in doors and how to do a raid and other things," Newell said.
The different focus requires a new mindset for the brigade's soldiers, he said, and a major emphasis on building and maintaining relationships with their Iraqi counterparts.
"Relationships are paramount," Newell said. "When you are in an advise and assist and enable role, it is incumbent on you to work with your counterpart, to couch the training in terms that they can use ... and inculcate it, and in a timeline and capacity that they can actually work with it."
That's not how traditional combat elements have operated in the past, he acknowledged.
It's "a lot different than us coming in and saying, 'Hey, we think you need to do the following three things, and this is how you do it,'" Newell said. "Now, it is a case of sitting down with your counterparts and working with them to understand what it is they need to be doing, and how they want to proceed with the training."
It also entails explaining to the Iraqi security forces what enablers the U.S. troops can provide, if required, to help them do their job.
Toward this end, Newell and his staff spend much of their time with their counterparts within the 10th Iraqi Army Division as well as local provincial police and border enforcement brigade. They also work hand in hand with U.S. interagency partners assigned to the provincial reconstruction teams or otherwise supporting reconstruction and development efforts.
"That permeates so much of what we do," Newell said, noting that the myriad meetings, discussions and other engagements his staff participates in can be "intellectually exhausting."
"But the output of those discussions is so much more productive, because [the Iraqis] are coming to the table and saying, 'This is exactly what I need. I need more of this; I need less of this.'" Newell said. "And when you do that, they show up ready to go, wanting to take the material, and then you see them go out in the field and do it."
At no time was the strength of that relationship-building process more evident than on June 30, as U.S. combat troops left the Iraqi cities, but Newell's soldiers were in more demand than ever.
"I have more soldiers today operating in Iraqi cities than I had prior to the 30th of June. The difference is, they are there because they were invited there, and the Iraqis insist on having them with them," Newell said. "So the [value of] the relationships is a huge lesson learned."
These relationships are growing increasingly strong, because the 4th Brigade soldiers embed directly with the Iraqi partners they work with. "We embed, we don't commute," Newell said of his soldiers. "So if you have an Iraqi brigade that you are working with, the transition team and the company that are partnering with that brigade go live with that brigade, not on a [forward operating base] someplace.
"And their partnerships are so much better for it," he said. "They work together, they live together, they eat together, they play together. They truly are partners out there."
Newell conceded that some of his more junior soldiers, who thought they were going off to war when they deployed, may be less excited about the advise and assist mission than those who've already been in combat.
"In many cases, some of the younger guys will tell you they would rather be in Afghanistan than here doing this," he acknowledged. "But the more senior guys who have been here for awhile, and have been at this for a couple times, will tell you that this is, in many cases, much more emotionally rewarding than their previous experiences here."
The soldiers recognize, Newell said, that they're helping the Iraqis take on new responsibilities that will be critical as the United States scales down its forces in Iraq. "They are seeing success in the Iraqis, and they are seeing themselves drawn into the Iraqi operations by invitation," he said. "And that is a huge difference, if you have been at this for awhile."
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Task Force Keystone Supports Joint Special Forces Training
Four Black Hawk helicopters from the Pennsylvania National Guard's Company B, 1st Battalion, 150th Aviation Regiment, prepare to land during a joint special operations forces training exercise Oct. 2 in Iraq.
28th Combat Aviation Brigade
Story by Sgt. Matthew Jones
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Members of Company B, 1st Battalion, 150th Aviation Regiment, assisted U.S. and Iraqi special operations forces in a joint training exercise Oct. 2.
This was the third in a series of three exercises involving the aviators from Task Force Keystone.
The training mission started as a real mission would, with a thorough briefing. The aviators and crew reviewed the landing zone, the aircraft's landing direction, a timeline, landing formation, maps, routes and contingency plans.
First Lt. Thomas Kivlen, platoon leader in Co. B from Plainsboro, N.J., stressed the importance of the training.
"The stuff we are doing here directly relates to what those Soldiers may have to do in the future," said Kivlen. "This will directly help prepare for future missions and assaults."
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Danielle Wolak of Reading, Pa., one of several pilots who participated in the training mission, said the training was especially gratifying for her.
"I was here in 2003 when everything was starting and now I'm here near the very end," said Wolak, a Pennsylvania National Guard Soldier. "It's nice to know that we're helping them take back their country and we're training them for what they're going to need to do when we're gone."
Warrant Officer Kyle Braun, a Pennsylvania National Guard member who actually calls Indianapolis home, echoed his fellow pilot's sentiments.
"For future operations, they can do this on their own," said Braun, referring to the Iraqi forces. "When we leave, they should be able to do their own air assaults and support their own operations."
The pilots agreed the transition process is already well underway. According to Wolak, her unit has operated with ISF.
"We do everything hand-in-hand with the Iraqis," said Wolak. "Everything is in coordination with [Iraqi army and Iraqi police], so they know what is going on," she said.
"Today's goal was to go out and get the Iraqi special [operations] forces trained and return safely," Wolak concluded. "And we completed that goal."
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Iraqi Air Force Assumes Control of C-130 Operations
NEW AL-MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq - The Iraqi air force officially began fully independent C-130 air operations yesterday, marking the end of the U.S. C-130 air advisory mission here.
A ceremony deactivating the U.S. Air Force's 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and marking assumption of C-130 operations, maintenance and training by the Iraqi air force's Squadron 23 formalized the milestone.
Presiding over the event were U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert C. Kane, commander of the 321st Air Expeditionary Wing and director of the Air Force's Iraq training and advisory mission; Staff Lt. Gen. Anwar Hamad Amen Ahmed, Iraqi air force commander; Brig. Gen. Kareem Ali Abud, commander of the Iraqi air force's New Al-Muthana Air Base; and Col. Christopher Pehrson, commander of the U.S. Air Force's 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group.
"Today, I say we are proud to have had the honor to work with you side by side as brothers, not less," Kareem said. "I have worked with about eight advisors, and we have here more than 60 groups at Al-Mathana, great in all fields: discipline, versatility, specialties and, more than that, humanity.
"We can't forget the support you gave in the training of pilots, craft engineers, logistics, security forces and English classes," he continued. "We respect your sacrifices -- leaving your families behind just to support Iraqi air forces. We are grateful for you and your families. We don't like to say goodbye. See you again with better situations in Iraq."
The deactivation of the U.S. squadron marked another claim to the Iraqi air force's independence.
Squadron 23 is the largest C-130 squadron in the Iraqi air force, and its mission includes delivering troops and cargo, supporting distinguished visitors and flying medical evacuation missions. The squadron began after the United States gave three C-130E aircraft to the Iraqis through the Excess Defense Articles program.
The Iraqi air force C-130 airlift mission was born with the arrival in January 2005 of those same three aircraft at Ali Air Base. This paved the way for the first aircrew members to receive flight training at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. After being assigned to Ali Air Base since 2005, the squadron moved here March 7, 2006.
In his remarks, Kane declared the C-130 flight training effort "mission complete."
"The Iraqi pilots, navigators, flight engineers, loadmasters, and maintainers have clearly demonstrated that they are ready to perform their missions and, most importantly, to do it well," he said. "American advisors have also done what we've asked them to do: to stand side by side with their Iraqi partners and provide them the training required to operate the C-130 safely. This is a big deal -- something the people of Iraq, and even the world, will take note of. The Iraqi air force is on its way to independent operations."
In his comments, Pehrson noted the milestone's importance. "Today's ceremony is possible because the United States Air Force and the Iraqi air force were successful in their partnership to develop credible, professional and enduring airlift capability in the Iraqi C-130 fleet," he said. "It's an important step in the realization of a fully independent Iraqi air force that will one day defend and protect the people of Iraq.
"From today forward, Squadron 23 will fly independently over the skies of Iraq without direct support from a U.S. air advisory squadron," he added. "One day soon, other squadrons throughout the Iraqi air force will also operate independent of American advisor support. This change, and the evolution of the air advisory mission, is good because it means that we are moving together beyond foundational training and towards air power capabilities that are credible and enduring."
Air advisory training included a focus on foundational training for pilots, navigators, flight engineers, loadmasters, crew chiefs and maintenance specialists in engines, sheet metal, avionics and hydraulics.
A ceremony deactivating the U.S. Air Force's 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and marking assumption of C-130 operations, maintenance and training by the Iraqi air force's Squadron 23 formalized the milestone.
Presiding over the event were U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert C. Kane, commander of the 321st Air Expeditionary Wing and director of the Air Force's Iraq training and advisory mission; Staff Lt. Gen. Anwar Hamad Amen Ahmed, Iraqi air force commander; Brig. Gen. Kareem Ali Abud, commander of the Iraqi air force's New Al-Muthana Air Base; and Col. Christopher Pehrson, commander of the U.S. Air Force's 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group.
"Today, I say we are proud to have had the honor to work with you side by side as brothers, not less," Kareem said. "I have worked with about eight advisors, and we have here more than 60 groups at Al-Mathana, great in all fields: discipline, versatility, specialties and, more than that, humanity.
"We can't forget the support you gave in the training of pilots, craft engineers, logistics, security forces and English classes," he continued. "We respect your sacrifices -- leaving your families behind just to support Iraqi air forces. We are grateful for you and your families. We don't like to say goodbye. See you again with better situations in Iraq."
The deactivation of the U.S. squadron marked another claim to the Iraqi air force's independence.
Squadron 23 is the largest C-130 squadron in the Iraqi air force, and its mission includes delivering troops and cargo, supporting distinguished visitors and flying medical evacuation missions. The squadron began after the United States gave three C-130E aircraft to the Iraqis through the Excess Defense Articles program.
The Iraqi air force C-130 airlift mission was born with the arrival in January 2005 of those same three aircraft at Ali Air Base. This paved the way for the first aircrew members to receive flight training at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. After being assigned to Ali Air Base since 2005, the squadron moved here March 7, 2006.
In his remarks, Kane declared the C-130 flight training effort "mission complete."
"The Iraqi pilots, navigators, flight engineers, loadmasters, and maintainers have clearly demonstrated that they are ready to perform their missions and, most importantly, to do it well," he said. "American advisors have also done what we've asked them to do: to stand side by side with their Iraqi partners and provide them the training required to operate the C-130 safely. This is a big deal -- something the people of Iraq, and even the world, will take note of. The Iraqi air force is on its way to independent operations."
In his comments, Pehrson noted the milestone's importance. "Today's ceremony is possible because the United States Air Force and the Iraqi air force were successful in their partnership to develop credible, professional and enduring airlift capability in the Iraqi C-130 fleet," he said. "It's an important step in the realization of a fully independent Iraqi air force that will one day defend and protect the people of Iraq.
"From today forward, Squadron 23 will fly independently over the skies of Iraq without direct support from a U.S. air advisory squadron," he added. "One day soon, other squadrons throughout the Iraqi air force will also operate independent of American advisor support. This change, and the evolution of the air advisory mission, is good because it means that we are moving together beyond foundational training and towards air power capabilities that are credible and enduring."
Air advisory training included a focus on foundational training for pilots, navigators, flight engineers, loadmasters, crew chiefs and maintenance specialists in engines, sheet metal, avionics and hydraulics.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Soldiers Improve Conditions at Patrol Base
By Army Pfc. Bethany L. Little, Special to American Forces Press Service
PATROL BASE MAHAWIL, Iraq - Despite the threat of sandstorms and extreme heat Aug. 6, the Multinational Division South command sergeant major visited soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, to view the improved living conditions and morale at this patrol base.
"I came to see how conditions have improved since the last time I was here," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Doug L. Julin. "I have to say I'm very impressed by the leadership and the spirit of the soldiers here."
Julin toured the company's aid station, headquarters building, dining facility, key leader engagement room and improved ranges.
"When the company first arrived, barely any of this was here," said Army 1st Sgt. Richard A. Mitchell, the company's first sergeant. "We've improved force protection, training and personal comfort levels."
The Multinational Division South force-protection team identified the need for the improvements two months ago after determining the patrol base was austere and offered undesirable living conditions. Company leadership looked at the team's suggestions and comments and began planning improvements.
Soldiers created supplemental movable fighting positions to improve force protection. Training facilities were another focus for the company, which included redesigned ranges and new urban-terrain training facilities.
"As an infantryman, one can never have enough training, so we created a training house that resembles many of the houses in Iraq," Mitchell said. "It has a right-hand-shooter room, a left-hand-shooter room and a long, narrow hallway that the soldiers must negotiate."
Personal comfort was another aspect the company looked to improve.
"There's a difference between taking care of soldiers and [having] pampered soldiers," Mitchell said. "My guys live in tents, and air conditioners can only do so much. We received tent foam kits from division and placed the foam on the majority of the tents, which keeps the temperature within the tents about 20 to 25 degrees cooler."
Renovated training facilities and updated bathrooms have improved conditions for the soldiers here, and Julin said that will help with mission accomplishment.
"When the soldiers are supported the way they are here, then they are more likely to do whatever their leadership asks of them," he said. "It is evident that the soldiers are happy, and they really want to be here."
PATROL BASE MAHAWIL, Iraq - Despite the threat of sandstorms and extreme heat Aug. 6, the Multinational Division South command sergeant major visited soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, to view the improved living conditions and morale at this patrol base.
"I came to see how conditions have improved since the last time I was here," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Doug L. Julin. "I have to say I'm very impressed by the leadership and the spirit of the soldiers here."
Julin toured the company's aid station, headquarters building, dining facility, key leader engagement room and improved ranges.
"When the company first arrived, barely any of this was here," said Army 1st Sgt. Richard A. Mitchell, the company's first sergeant. "We've improved force protection, training and personal comfort levels."
The Multinational Division South force-protection team identified the need for the improvements two months ago after determining the patrol base was austere and offered undesirable living conditions. Company leadership looked at the team's suggestions and comments and began planning improvements.
Soldiers created supplemental movable fighting positions to improve force protection. Training facilities were another focus for the company, which included redesigned ranges and new urban-terrain training facilities.
"As an infantryman, one can never have enough training, so we created a training house that resembles many of the houses in Iraq," Mitchell said. "It has a right-hand-shooter room, a left-hand-shooter room and a long, narrow hallway that the soldiers must negotiate."
Personal comfort was another aspect the company looked to improve.
"There's a difference between taking care of soldiers and [having] pampered soldiers," Mitchell said. "My guys live in tents, and air conditioners can only do so much. We received tent foam kits from division and placed the foam on the majority of the tents, which keeps the temperature within the tents about 20 to 25 degrees cooler."
Renovated training facilities and updated bathrooms have improved conditions for the soldiers here, and Julin said that will help with mission accomplishment.
"When the soldiers are supported the way they are here, then they are more likely to do whatever their leadership asks of them," he said. "It is evident that the soldiers are happy, and they really want to be here."
Monday, July 13, 2009
Air Force Squadron Improves Base in Iraq
By Army Sgt. Frank Vaughn, Special to American Forces Press Service
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - The landscape of this base is changing rapidly. Some buildings already have been built to improve the operational capability of Multinational Division South, with others planned for the near future.
The progress evident throughout the base is due largely in part to the efforts of the U.S. Air Force's 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron. RED HORSE stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operation Repair Squadron Engineers.
The squadron includes engineering specialists from 76 bases throughout the United States, Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Snyder Jr. said.
"We have multiple skills from multiple bases," said Snyder, who is deployed with the 819th RED HORSE Squadron from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. "We have 11 specialties on our team, including heavy equipment operators, pest management, plumbers, power production, [vertical construction] and logistics."
The team already has constructed a 30,000-square-foot headquarters building here for the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Snyder, the acting first sergeant for the squadron, said his team is especially proud of the new headquarters building.
"We put a lot of work into that building to make it functional for those guys," he said.
Snyder credits his troops and their leaders for the success of the RED HORSE mission so far.
"These guys are phenomenal," he said. "They work hard and make me proud to be a RED HORSE. Leadership over here has also been outstanding in keeping everyone focused on our goals."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Ratliff, a carpenter with the squadron, said staying focused has been fairly easy under the circumstances.
"I love this job," said Ratliff, a native of Lexington Park, Md. "We get to the job site at 7 a.m., get our materials together and discuss what we're going to do for the day. Then we get to work. I love seeing the contributions we've made to this place when the projects are completed."
Ratliff said the squadron's members have come together as a team since the beginning of the deployment.
"We all mesh together pretty good," he said. "We're not all from the same station, but it's good to meet new people."
The RED HORSE members currently are working on a hall for the Red Bull Band. The building, located near the recently completed mail-sorting facility, will house office space and room for band rehearsals, said Ratliff, who is serving his fourth deployment.
Future projects include a post chapel.
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - The landscape of this base is changing rapidly. Some buildings already have been built to improve the operational capability of Multinational Division South, with others planned for the near future.
The progress evident throughout the base is due largely in part to the efforts of the U.S. Air Force's 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron. RED HORSE stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operation Repair Squadron Engineers.
The squadron includes engineering specialists from 76 bases throughout the United States, Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Snyder Jr. said.
"We have multiple skills from multiple bases," said Snyder, who is deployed with the 819th RED HORSE Squadron from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. "We have 11 specialties on our team, including heavy equipment operators, pest management, plumbers, power production, [vertical construction] and logistics."
The team already has constructed a 30,000-square-foot headquarters building here for the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Snyder, the acting first sergeant for the squadron, said his team is especially proud of the new headquarters building.
"We put a lot of work into that building to make it functional for those guys," he said.
Snyder credits his troops and their leaders for the success of the RED HORSE mission so far.
"These guys are phenomenal," he said. "They work hard and make me proud to be a RED HORSE. Leadership over here has also been outstanding in keeping everyone focused on our goals."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Ratliff, a carpenter with the squadron, said staying focused has been fairly easy under the circumstances.
"I love this job," said Ratliff, a native of Lexington Park, Md. "We get to the job site at 7 a.m., get our materials together and discuss what we're going to do for the day. Then we get to work. I love seeing the contributions we've made to this place when the projects are completed."
Ratliff said the squadron's members have come together as a team since the beginning of the deployment.
"We all mesh together pretty good," he said. "We're not all from the same station, but it's good to meet new people."
The RED HORSE members currently are working on a hall for the Red Bull Band. The building, located near the recently completed mail-sorting facility, will house office space and room for band rehearsals, said Ratliff, who is serving his fourth deployment.
Future projects include a post chapel.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Romanian Forces End Mission in Iraq
By Army Sgt. Mark Miranda, Special to American Forces Press Service
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Military operations in Iraq formally ended for Romanian forces June 4, as one of America's coalition allies prepared to ship out some of its remaining troops with an end-of-mission ceremony held by Romania's 26th Infantry "Red Scorpions" Battalion.
The Romanian flag was lowered over the 26th's compound here, affectionately known as "Camp Dracula," in a ceremony following a memorial for the Romanian military personnel who died in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ceremony was held just an hour before the U.S. Army 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team conducted a relief-in-place, transfer-of-authority ceremony with the outgoing 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division.
Romanian President Traian Basescu, who is the supreme commander of Romanian armed forces during wartime, was on hand.
Romanian Lt. Col. Gabriel Toma, commander of the 26th Infantry Battalion, received the U.S. Bronze Star Medal from Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of Multinational Corps Iraq.
"It's hard to say farewell to a trusted partner," Jacoby said. "Few have been as committed to freedom of the Iraqi people as the Romanians, and I extend my thanks, as it's been an honor to serve with them here in Iraq."
Jacoby praised the Romanians as a dedicated and capable force, and expressed condolences for their lost soldiers.
Since August 2003, Romania has deployed more than 5,200 troops to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Assigned to two different multinational divisions, Romanian forces have provided intelligence support to Multinational Division South by conducting reconnaissance and surveillance missions and operating unmanned aerial vehicle platforms. Romanian forces also provided base security, supply-route security and quick-reaction forces in Basra, and conducted training and monitoring of Iraqi army units, culminating with the May 23 graduation of Iraqi commandos on Camp Ur.
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Military operations in Iraq formally ended for Romanian forces June 4, as one of America's coalition allies prepared to ship out some of its remaining troops with an end-of-mission ceremony held by Romania's 26th Infantry "Red Scorpions" Battalion.
The Romanian flag was lowered over the 26th's compound here, affectionately known as "Camp Dracula," in a ceremony following a memorial for the Romanian military personnel who died in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ceremony was held just an hour before the U.S. Army 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team conducted a relief-in-place, transfer-of-authority ceremony with the outgoing 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division.
Romanian President Traian Basescu, who is the supreme commander of Romanian armed forces during wartime, was on hand.
Romanian Lt. Col. Gabriel Toma, commander of the 26th Infantry Battalion, received the U.S. Bronze Star Medal from Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of Multinational Corps Iraq.
"It's hard to say farewell to a trusted partner," Jacoby said. "Few have been as committed to freedom of the Iraqi people as the Romanians, and I extend my thanks, as it's been an honor to serve with them here in Iraq."
Jacoby praised the Romanians as a dedicated and capable force, and expressed condolences for their lost soldiers.
Since August 2003, Romania has deployed more than 5,200 troops to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Assigned to two different multinational divisions, Romanian forces have provided intelligence support to Multinational Division South by conducting reconnaissance and surveillance missions and operating unmanned aerial vehicle platforms. Romanian forces also provided base security, supply-route security and quick-reaction forces in Basra, and conducted training and monitoring of Iraqi army units, culminating with the May 23 graduation of Iraqi commandos on Camp Ur.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Oregon NG Deploys to Iraq
The Oregon National Guard is getting ready for its largest deployment since World War II.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
NG Troops Deploying to Iraq/Afghanistan
National Guard troops from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Georgia all received send offs April 13 as they prepare to go to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Navy leaves aerial communications mission to Air Force
by Senior Airman Brok McCarthy, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- For convoys moving at night in Iraq who are out of radio contact with all friendly forces, the E-6 Mercury has been a godsend. The Navy jet, which is assigned to Task Force-124 Forward here, is one of the aircraft flying over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. They have been relaying urgent information like possible improvised explosive device detonations, attacks on the convoys and MEDEVAC requests to the appropriate agencies for more than two years.
However, at the end of April when TF-124 redeploys to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., there will be no backfill. TF-124 Forward's mission will end leaving the entire mission to 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's C-130 Hercules. The Joint Base Balad, Iraq, unit is the only other unit with aircraft equipped to complete this critical mission.
"We shared this mission with the triple-seven out of Balad," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Johnson, TF-124 officer in charge. "When we initially started the mission, we had two or three areas of coverage, so it took two aircraft to do the mission. With some of the equipment improvements that have been made, we can get coverage over all the convoy routes from one location. So now there really isn't a need for us to stay any longer because the C-130s can do the mission by themselves."
The system allowing the Mercury to communicate with friendly forces is a communications system called the joint airborne communications suite (JACS), which was installed specially for the mission in the area of responsibility. A combination of improvements to the JACS, ultra-high-frequency radio coverage on the ground and reduced sectarian violence is allowing the 777th EAS to take over the mission exclusively.
"The workload we have had recently has decreased dramatically," said Navy Chief Petty Officer Patrick McCool, the battle staff mission commander. "When we first started this mission it was commonplace to receive calls reporting troops in contact, IED's, small arms fire, MEDEVACs, etc. We just don't get near as many of those calls anymore, it's a real testament to what a great job our troops on the ground are doing ."
He said an example was in the past three months, they have only had to call for a MEDEVAC once, and that was because an individual injured himself while performing his duties, not because of any hostile action.
"It gets kind of [repetitive] doing the same mission over and over when we are at home," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Price, a reel operator from Brighton, Ill. "But within the first week of us getting here we had the MEDEVAC call, and it really felt like we were doing something important."
Petty Officer 2nd Class Cicely Wiggins, a battle staff member, said deploying with the Mercury has been a rewarding experience.
"It's been very fulfilling to be out here and be a part of everything," said the petty officer from Woodbury Heights, N.J. "All of the communications operators who've had the opportunity to come out here are very excited about it because it's an opportunity we rarely get."
Since TF-124 Forward was activated in October, 2006, it has flown six days a week, every week for more than 690 sorties and 8,000 hours in the air. During that time, the commander, who hails from Lawton, Okla., said the E-6B crew has called in 26 MEDEVACs and relayed information on 170 IED detonations and 165 possible IEDs. It has also relayed 320 pieces of information to the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron's E-8 Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar Systems.
The E-6B was originally supposed to come here for less than a year then return to the U.S. Strategic Command, flying its mission of nuclear command and control. Due to the needs of ground forces, the aircraft ended up staying until now.
"We came from a strategic mission, which is very important, but you don't get a lot of feedback," said Commander Johnson. "Here, we are doing a tactical mission, which gives you immediate feedback and you can see that you're making a difference. For these guys (aircrew), that's something they don't get to do very often."
Because the E-6B is flying non-standard missions, the enlisted crewmen have also been taken out of their standard jobs on the jet to operate the radios.
"We have people from a pretty diverse group of career fields, however, they are excellent communicators and are able to pick the mission up here quickly. The majority of our Sailors are accustomed to talking on radios and so they make a perfect fit for this mission," said Chief Petty Officer McCool. "The biggest learning curve is learning where all of the routes are that the convoys travel on, so that we are able to give concise and immediate feedback to the convoys."
Commander Johnson said he thought that it had been a rewarding experience for all the Sailors who have deployed with the E-6B, because of how much of a difference they have made in the current conflict.
"The troops on the convoys love the fact that we are up there. They have someone that has a gods-eye view of their situation and they have connectivity no matter where they go," Commander Johnson added. "They take a lot of comfort in the fact that we provide a blanket of coverage for them."
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- For convoys moving at night in Iraq who are out of radio contact with all friendly forces, the E-6 Mercury has been a godsend. The Navy jet, which is assigned to Task Force-124 Forward here, is one of the aircraft flying over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. They have been relaying urgent information like possible improvised explosive device detonations, attacks on the convoys and MEDEVAC requests to the appropriate agencies for more than two years.
However, at the end of April when TF-124 redeploys to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., there will be no backfill. TF-124 Forward's mission will end leaving the entire mission to 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's C-130 Hercules. The Joint Base Balad, Iraq, unit is the only other unit with aircraft equipped to complete this critical mission.
"We shared this mission with the triple-seven out of Balad," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Johnson, TF-124 officer in charge. "When we initially started the mission, we had two or three areas of coverage, so it took two aircraft to do the mission. With some of the equipment improvements that have been made, we can get coverage over all the convoy routes from one location. So now there really isn't a need for us to stay any longer because the C-130s can do the mission by themselves."
The system allowing the Mercury to communicate with friendly forces is a communications system called the joint airborne communications suite (JACS), which was installed specially for the mission in the area of responsibility. A combination of improvements to the JACS, ultra-high-frequency radio coverage on the ground and reduced sectarian violence is allowing the 777th EAS to take over the mission exclusively.
"The workload we have had recently has decreased dramatically," said Navy Chief Petty Officer Patrick McCool, the battle staff mission commander. "When we first started this mission it was commonplace to receive calls reporting troops in contact, IED's, small arms fire, MEDEVACs, etc. We just don't get near as many of those calls anymore, it's a real testament to what a great job our troops on the ground are doing ."
He said an example was in the past three months, they have only had to call for a MEDEVAC once, and that was because an individual injured himself while performing his duties, not because of any hostile action.
"It gets kind of [repetitive] doing the same mission over and over when we are at home," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Price, a reel operator from Brighton, Ill. "But within the first week of us getting here we had the MEDEVAC call, and it really felt like we were doing something important."
Petty Officer 2nd Class Cicely Wiggins, a battle staff member, said deploying with the Mercury has been a rewarding experience.
"It's been very fulfilling to be out here and be a part of everything," said the petty officer from Woodbury Heights, N.J. "All of the communications operators who've had the opportunity to come out here are very excited about it because it's an opportunity we rarely get."
Since TF-124 Forward was activated in October, 2006, it has flown six days a week, every week for more than 690 sorties and 8,000 hours in the air. During that time, the commander, who hails from Lawton, Okla., said the E-6B crew has called in 26 MEDEVACs and relayed information on 170 IED detonations and 165 possible IEDs. It has also relayed 320 pieces of information to the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron's E-8 Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar Systems.
The E-6B was originally supposed to come here for less than a year then return to the U.S. Strategic Command, flying its mission of nuclear command and control. Due to the needs of ground forces, the aircraft ended up staying until now.
"We came from a strategic mission, which is very important, but you don't get a lot of feedback," said Commander Johnson. "Here, we are doing a tactical mission, which gives you immediate feedback and you can see that you're making a difference. For these guys (aircrew), that's something they don't get to do very often."
Because the E-6B is flying non-standard missions, the enlisted crewmen have also been taken out of their standard jobs on the jet to operate the radios.
"We have people from a pretty diverse group of career fields, however, they are excellent communicators and are able to pick the mission up here quickly. The majority of our Sailors are accustomed to talking on radios and so they make a perfect fit for this mission," said Chief Petty Officer McCool. "The biggest learning curve is learning where all of the routes are that the convoys travel on, so that we are able to give concise and immediate feedback to the convoys."
Commander Johnson said he thought that it had been a rewarding experience for all the Sailors who have deployed with the E-6B, because of how much of a difference they have made in the current conflict.
"The troops on the convoys love the fact that we are up there. They have someone that has a gods-eye view of their situation and they have connectivity no matter where they go," Commander Johnson added. "They take a lot of comfort in the fact that we provide a blanket of coverage for them."
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
100th BSB Redeploys
The 100th Brigade Support Battalion has been redeployed from Iraq to Afghanistan, making it the first Army unit to make that transition.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Coalition Jets Shoot Down Iranian Drone Over Iraq
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 16, 2009 - Coalition jet fighters shot down an Iranian drone that was hovering over Iraq late last month, Multinational Force Iraq officials confirmed today.
The incident occurred Feb. 25, about 60 miles northeast of Baghdad, officials said in a statement.
Two coalition aircraft were directed to visually identify the unmanned aerial vehicle after it was detected hovering inside the Iraqi border. The pilots confirmed that it wasn't a coalition aircraft and that no collateral damage would result from a shoot-down. Coalition air forces tracked the UAV for more than an hour before the pilots engaged it, officials said.
"This was not an accident on the part of the Iranians," officials said. "The UAV was in Iraqi airspace for nearly one hour and 10 minutes and well inside Iraqi territory before it was engaged."
Officials said they believe the drone to be an Iranian-made Ababil 3 model UAV.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and military leaders have long accused Iran of interference in Iraq. Iran poses "a real problem," Gates said on PBS' "Tavis Smiley Show" March 11.
"I think it's one of the significant challenges that we're going to face over the next several years," he said.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 16, 2009 - Coalition jet fighters shot down an Iranian drone that was hovering over Iraq late last month, Multinational Force Iraq officials confirmed today.
The incident occurred Feb. 25, about 60 miles northeast of Baghdad, officials said in a statement.
Two coalition aircraft were directed to visually identify the unmanned aerial vehicle after it was detected hovering inside the Iraqi border. The pilots confirmed that it wasn't a coalition aircraft and that no collateral damage would result from a shoot-down. Coalition air forces tracked the UAV for more than an hour before the pilots engaged it, officials said.
"This was not an accident on the part of the Iranians," officials said. "The UAV was in Iraqi airspace for nearly one hour and 10 minutes and well inside Iraqi territory before it was engaged."
Officials said they believe the drone to be an Iranian-made Ababil 3 model UAV.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and military leaders have long accused Iran of interference in Iraq. Iran poses "a real problem," Gates said on PBS' "Tavis Smiley Show" March 11.
"I think it's one of the significant challenges that we're going to face over the next several years," he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)