Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Soldiers Turn Ambush Around On Criminals

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – It was just another patrol for Sgt. 1st Class Billy Brown, from Hartsville, Tenn., and his mortar platoon, March 26.

As they left Combat Outpost Cashe 10 minutes before noon, all of his Soldiers were focused on their mission.

“We were going to check out an IED (improvised explosive device) site and search the area for a mortar site,” he said.

As the vehicles rolled out into the mid-day heat, a call came over the radio. The mission was being changed. Their commander, Capt. Brian Gilbert, from Boise, Idaho, the commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, ordered them to proceed to the market in Jisr Diyala.

Company D had received information that Shia criminals had just delivered a cache of rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns to the market in Jisr Diyala and Brown’s platoon needed to investigate.

The previous day, Lt. Col. John Kolasheski, from Loudon, Tenn., commander of the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, (the unit that Company D is currently attached to) and Gilbert were in Jisr Diyala to witness the opening of a new 140-stall market directly across the street from their designated objective.

Brown explained that on that day he had a gut feeling things weren’t right in Jisr Diyala. His intuition would be proved right this day.

“We were getting information that things could happen, but nothing concrete,” he said. “Initially, I expected it to be just another cache site, but it turned into a slug-fest.”

As Brown’s vehicles entered Jisr Diyala, they immediately noticed that the normally crowded streets of Jisr Diyala were empty.
“There were only a few people out on the street and hardly any cars,” he said. “I ordered everyone to get ready right then. It was obvious something wasn’t right.”
Brown’s Soldiers switched their weapons from safe to fire and scanned for signs of trouble. It would soon find them.

As the Soldiers in the lead vehicle moved down the street towards the market, they could see men running away from the market. A few moments later, they started taking small-arms fire from an alley as they passed.

“The lead vehicle took the brunt of the first volley,” Brown said. “They kept their cool and kept traveling. The third and fourth vehicles returned fire as they drove by.”

In Company D’s command post, Gilbert listened intently as Brown reported what was happening. Gilbert ordered Brown to move the platoon down the street, to the Joint Security Station in Jisr Diyala and prepare to regroup.

The mortar platoon’s trucks continued to their destination a few blocks away as criminals continued to fire from the east of his convoy.

“They really started bringing the hammer down on us,” Brown said. “When we have made contact in the past, the bad guys had always shot at us and moved on. When they kept shooting, I knew that they meant business. We were in for a fight.”

Brown pulled into the JSS and immediately informed the 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division and local police about what was going on in the market.
While Brown spoke with the policeman, Spc. Kyle Few, from Columbus, Ohio, the gunner in the lead truck, saw men running from the market carrying items deeper into Jisr Diyala and away from the Soldiers.

Brown radioed back to Gilbert, who was about to roll out from COP Cashe, and updated him on what was going on.

As Gilbert was exiting the gates of COP Cashe, he agreed that Brown and his men had to stop the cache from being moved out of the market.
Brown’s platoon started moving to stop the criminals from fleeing the market when his vehicles started taking small-arms and machine gun fire from both sides of the street.

“I was surprised,” admitted Brown. “There were a lot of bullets flying at us. It was very hard to identify targets, but my guys maintained their discipline and chose their targets carefully.”

The fighting grew intense as Brown and his platoon started moving up streets to take the fight to the insurgents. Moving was slow, however. The debris and trash that covered the market streets provided perfect cover for potential IEDs.

“We didn’t know if they had set up anything for us,” Brown said. “We had to try and identify targets and look for crush wires (used to detonate IEDs) at the same time.”

During a lull in enemy fire, Brown and a few of his Soldiers dismounted and slowly worked their way to an enemy location. They found seven surprised men with bags in their hands. Moving swiftly, the mortar platoon detained them.

The bags contained NP uniforms and a weapon that had recently been fired.

As the mortarmen prepared to move up and continue the fight, the newly-arrived NP Training Team and the NP, took control of the detainees.

“When the National Police got involved, they were very effective,” Brown said. “Their leadership did a good job of interweaving themselves with us and taking control of our detainees.”

The battle, however, was far from over.

Using cover, criminals continued to move and fire at the combined force. With bullets raining down on them, Brown’s men maintained their composure.
“Every one of my guys took the appropriate action,” Brown said. “All of them maintained their sector of fire. They chose the right targets and didn’t get reckless and start changing their sectors to get into the firefight. It was a great thing to see. Everyone was talking and communicating. The number of guys actually firing was really low. The bad guys were being very careful and were doing a good job of not showing themselves. It took a lot of discipline on my Soldiers’ part not to just start firing at everything.”
As Brown and his Soldiers were fighting, Gilbert and the scout platoon were moving to cut off escape routes. With another platoon on the way, a noose was slowly being tightened on the criminals.
Brown coordinated with the NPT team and the NPs to move the detainees away and continued his search for his attackers and their cache.
The criminals, seeing the market flooded with policemen and Soldiers, had taken a few RPGs and abandoned the rest of their cache. They were attempting to run, but were finding their routes of escape closed off.
As the Soldiers searched, they were once again attacked from two different positions. Using the local youth center and a school as cover, the criminals increased their rate of fire. Seeking cover, Brown returned fire and gave Gilbert a situation report. Despite taking fire, he had two things working in his favor: the criminals were cut off from their cache and his platoon finally knew their exact location.
All of Brown’s Soldiers laid down suppressive fire at the same moment. As the barrage of 240B machine guns, 249 squad automatic weapons and .50 caliber machine guns echoed, enemy weapons grew silent.
At this point, the other two platoons in Company D had positioned themselves around the trapped fighters, restricting their avenues of escape.
Within 15 minutes every platoon in Company D had responded to the crisis and were present to help their brothers-in-arms.
“We were all on refit at Rustimiyah when we got the call that the mortars were taking contact,” said 1st Lt. Erik Miller, from Starcross, N.J., the 2nd platoon leader. “We just rounded up everyone as quick as we could and got to them as fast as we could. Within 10 minutes, we were there to help.”
Miller explained that listening to the whole incident over the radio never crossed his mind.
As Brown coordinated with Gilbert, small-arms and machine gun fire exploded out from enemy positions. Brown and his Soldiers scrambled for cover as bullets whizzed past them.
As Soldiers called out enemy positions and returned fire, Brown’s interpreter was busy helping refill magazines. Hydration was also becoming a concern and Brown’s noncommissioned officers began to expose themselves to enemy fire to get their troops water.
Brown and two of his Soldiers were bleeding from flying debris and bullet ricochets, but the fighting continued.
“I didn’t even realize I was bleeding until after it was over,” Brown said. “When you’re out there in it, you don’t have time to think about anything but the task at hand.”
Criminals started firing RPGs at the Soldiers’ positions. Brown estimated at least five landed near him and his troops.
“When they started firing RPGs, I knew we had to step it up and bring it back at them,” Brown said.
Gilbert ordered Brown’s platoon to employ their MK-19 automatic grenade launcher and M203 grenade launchers.
It was a chance many had been waiting for the whole deployment.
Spc. Jordan Roedl, from Austin, Texas, Brown’s gunner, had maintained his MK-19 for a year and had frequently pestered Brown for a chance to use it. Carrying the 78-pound weapon from his living area out to his truck every morning was a chore. Mounting the weapon in his gun turret before every patrol had strengthen Roedl’s back and arms to the point that it wasn’t as hard as it had once been early in the deployment, but it still wasn’t easy.
When he heard Gilbert’s orders over the radio, it was music to his ears. Just moments before, an enemy bullet caused the soda can he had been drinking from to explode, showering him and his fellow Soldiers in the sticky fluid.
“I’m not going to lie,” Roedl said. “That was the best point of the whole deployment. I had been cleaning that heavy weapon this whole deployment. It was a pain to carry around, but when I finally got the chance to open up with it, it was worth it.”
As grenades ripped into enemy fighting positions, the policemen fired an RPG of their own at the enemy fighters.
The blasts were enough to silence the criminals’ weapons for the final time.
Soon after, 3/1 NP Div. policemen and Soldiers breached the school and scattered enemy fighters. Using the school as a strong point, NPs and Soldiers from Company D quickly took over the compound and ended the fight.
At the end of the encounter, 11 enemy fighters were killed and 24 suspects were detained. Company D had only sustained three minor injuries.
Kolasheski believed the attack was part of the criminals’ plan to disrupt the economic progress the citizens of Jisr Diyala had made over the last year.
“Extremists took cover in schools, medical clinics and people’s houses knowing full well we would have to fire back at them,” he said during the local security council meeting three days later. “They attempted to put hardships on the people of Jisr Diyala and cause damages to the infrastructure we have been working the last year to build. Their actions clearly demonstrated they do not care about the people of this area.”
Gilbert agreed with his commander.
“The attack really angered me. It was obvious that that they were trying to undo all of the hard work we have accomplished here,” Gilbert said. “They saw the attack as an opportunity to cause friction between us and the good people of Jisr Diyala. The good thing about it is how we were all able to effectively deal with it. A year ago, I do not believe we could have ended the violence so fast. Of course, I credit much of that to our Soldiers, but the ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) and Sons of Iraq did their part as well. The National Police were right in the fight with us. The Sons of Iraq quickly volunteered to man National Police checkpoints so they could lend more men to the fight. It was really a team effort.”
When Brown thinks about the incident, he is just thankful.
“As a leader, you want all of your guys to come home safely,” he said. “Outside the wire, it can get pretty crazy. It can all kick off at any moment out there and you and your men have to be ready. I believe that if we hadn’t have been prepared, it could have gotten bad out there. That’s what the enemy was hoping for, anyway. At the end of the day all of our guys are still here and a lot of theirs aren’t. I think that shows how ready my guys are when they roll out.”
The 1-15 Inf. Regt. and 3-1 Cav. Regt. are assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., and have been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Detainee Information Leads NP To Cache

Multi-National Division – Center PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Policemen from 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division, secured a weapons cache April 4 in Jabr al Ansari after receiving information from a detainee.
The cache consisted of rockets, PKC machine guns, a SGM light machine gun, a mortar tube, mortar and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
“This cache find takes dangerous munitions off the streets of Iraq and improves security for both Coalition forces and the Iraqi citizens,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Scogin, from San Antonio, Texas, Headquarters Troop, 3-1 Cav. Regt.

Soccer stadium opens in Wahida

By Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Hundreds of men and children gathered March 4 to mark the grand opening of a new soccer stadium in Wahida, Iraq.
Leaders of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team and civic leaders were present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the stadium, which was followed by an inaugural game.
“Today we opened the soccer field in Wahida,” said Mushen Nasser, mayor of the Mada’in Qada. “It is very important for the Iraqi people and it is a great step for the people of the Mada’in Qada. We put a lot of resources in this project for the youth of the qada.
“When we see the crowds … come to watch the soccer games it shows how the security is more stable and calm,” Nasser said. “Thanks to the Iraqi Security Forces for providing security and bringing us back to stability and a normal life.”
The field is the only grass field in the qada. Nasser said he hopes to form a league where teams throughout the qada can compete against one another.
“This is a very good day for the people here,” said Col. Ryan J. Kuhn, from Clarks, Neb., deputy commander of the 3rd HBCT. “This is a great investment for the children of this community. You can feel how excited everyone here is today. This is one of those projects that makes everyone involved feel good.”
The 3rd HBCT funded construction of the stadium using local contractors. The project took five months to complete, but the wait was worth it to Nasser.
“This is a beautiful stadium,” he said. “I am extremely happy for our youth.”
The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

1-10th FA Leaders Receive Awards

Eleven leaders of 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery received a Bronze Star Medal at FOB Hammer April 3 for outstanding contributions during their tour.

“You have done a phenomenal job,” said Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. “You have done so much. It’s just incredible what you all have accomplished.”

Five battery commanders and first sergeants and the battalion executive officer were awarded a Bronze Star Medal and the 1-10th FA coin, specifically designed for the unit’s deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom V.

Command Sgt. Maj. James Benedict, from Chestertown, Ind., 1-10th FA, explained that the back of the coin is designed with a guard tower representing the unit’s time at Camp Bucca, in Um Qasr, when the unit was attached to 16th Military Police Brigade, from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Grigsby is proud of the battalion Soldiers and leaders for their ability to change their focus and mission from field artillery to military police work. Soldiers of the unit were guarding detainees during the first eight months of the deployment.

“You grabbed that mission, wrapped your arms around it and said, ‘We can do anything,’” Grigsby said. “You did a great job down there. You set the standard.”

The 1-10th FA rejoined 3rd HBCT in October and took responsibility of Butler Range Road and Narhwan, where they established Combat Outpost Salie.
“You are the best artillery battalion in the Army,” Grigsby said. “It honors me and the command sergeant major to put these awards on you. Wear them, be proud, and tell your story at home. You deserve them.”

The 1-10th FA, 3rd HBCT, from Fort Benning, Ga., 3rd Infantry Division, has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Gilbert Wins MacArthur Leadership Award

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By Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Capt. Brian Gilbert, the commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, will receive the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership award in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon May 13.
The award is given annually to the top company-grade officers who demonstrate the ideals of duty, honor and service to country. Gilbert, a native of Boise, Idaho, is one of 14 active duty officers who will receive the award.
“I was extremely surprised when I found out I would be receiving the award,” Gilbert said. “I didn’t think I had a chance. It is very humbling to be one of the recipients.”
As surprised as Gilbert is to receive the award, his subordinates are not.
“I think he is very deserving of the award,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Bell, executive officer of Company D. “He is a great commander. He never loses his cool and is very knowledgeable. He is one of the most technically and tactically proficient officers I’ve ever been around.”
Bell, from San Antonio, Texas, credits Gilbert with many of the lessons he has learned during his current deployment.
“He has always been available when I have had questions,” Bell said. “When he went home on leave, I had to try and fill his shoes; ‘try’ being the key word. I never realized how hard he worked until I had to do it. I have the utmost respect for him.”
First Sgt. James Woody, from Portsmouth, Va., has worked side by side with Gilbert since he took over Company D in September.
“When I found out I was coming to Company D, I was excited,” he said. “Everyone I talked to told me how lucky I was to have him as a commander and they were right. We talk about everything and line up our plans. He is great about giving all his leaders the task and purpose, and letting them make their decisions.”
Woody described how Gilbert directed his company on March 26 in Jisr Diyala, when they were ambushed during a combat patrol.
“He was on the ground with his troops within 15 minutes of them being ambushed,” Woody said. “He was directing five different elements at one time. To listen to it over the radio was amazing. It says something to your troops when their commander is there with them on the ground.”
For six hours, Gilbert and his men fought criminals through the streets of Jisr Diyala. At the end of the engagement, 11 enemy fighters were dead and 24 were detained. Three of Gilbert’s men sustained minor injuries and returned to duty.
“In my opinion, if you have troops in contact, your place as a commander is out there with them,” Gilbert said. “That is really the only way you can assess what is going on.”
Bell chuckled when he heard Gilbert’s explanation.
“Capt. Gilbert is born for this fight,” he said.
Woody said what makes his commander stand out is his ability to listen.
“He is very low-key person, but he has the ability to listen and take in information,” he said. “He has been very successful with the local leaders here. He says what he means and means what he says. He never makes promises he can’t keep ... He is just as effective dealing with local leaders as he is in a kinetic operation.”
Bell said all the Company D Soldiers like and respect Gilbert.
“Everyone loves him,” Bell said. “He has proven to them time and time again that he will make the right decision. He has always been fair when making decisions on rewards and punishments. “
That respect and admiration has translated into performance, said Woody.
“Our Soldiers have remained professional throughout this deployment,” Woody said. “The locals know we are operating in Jisr Diyala. We treat people with respect. The Soldiers have carried themselves like the professionals they are at all times when we have gone outside the wire. All of local leaders have noticed that. Capt. Gilbert is constantly complimented by them for that.”
In turn, Gilbert credited his Soldiers’ performance for the award.
“Your men make you who you are as a leader,” he said. “It really isn’t hard to be a company commander when you have Soldiers like we do.”
Gilbert’s commander, Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, congratulated him on winning the award. Grigsby won the same award in 1987.
“He told me he was proud of me,” Gilbert said. “It meant a lot coming from him. As a former winner of the award, it helped set him up for success. I hope I can emulate him and his success.”
Grigsby said Gilbert is deserving of the award.
“Brian Gilbert is a combat leader, who always leads from the front and has the mental toughness to deal with the complexities of a COIN (counterinsurgency) fight,” Grigsby said. “Simply put, he is the best.”
The 1-15 Inf. Regt., currently attached to the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

Detainee Information Leads NP To Cache

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Policemen from 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division, secured a weapons cache April 4 in Jabr al Ansari after receiving information from a detainee.

According to 1st Lt. Jeffrey Ritter, from Waterloo, Iowa, civil military operations officer for 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, the NP split into teams to search for the weapons.

Capt. Chardon Hyde, from Port Angles, Wash., Headquarters Troop, 3-1 Cav. Regt., said the mission was planned solely by the 3/1 NP Div.
“They did the targeting and executed the mission,” he said.

The cache found consisted of five rockets, two PKC machine guns, one SGM light machine gun, one mortar tube, one mortar and one rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

Ritter said the major road going through Jabr al Ansari has been a high-activity site for indirect fire.

“This cache find takes dangerous munitions off the streets of Iraq and improves security for both Coalition forces and the Iraqi citizens,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Scogin, from San Antonio, Texas, Headquarters Troop, 3-1 Cav. Regt.

The 3-1 Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Fire Station Opens In Salman Park

Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - A fire station opened in Salman
Pak April 2, the only one of its kind in the entire southern area of the
Mada’in Qada, home to approximately 1.2 million citizens.

Leaders of the Mada’in Qada and the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team
attended the grand opening of the station.

The project began six months ago, said Col. Ryan J. Kuhn, from Clarks, Neb., deputy commanding officer of the 3rd HBCT.

“This shows how we can work together with the Iraqi Security Forces and
the Government of Iraq to put a great facility into a town that has been
cut off since 2005,” Kuhn said.

In addition to providing fire trucks and equipment to the station, Kuhn
said, the GoI has also provided 80 firefighters to work full-time in the
facility.

“All we had to do was work with the Government of Iraq to build the
facility,” he said.

“They are going to man it and equip it. It’s very
significant to this fire department. We are very happy to assist and be
part of it.”

Although not trained firefighters yet, Kuhn said the recruits will
attend a three-month course at a training academy in Baghdad.

Emergency calls are routed through the joint security station located
near the fire station in Salman Pak, Kuhn said.

The JSS is manned bypolice officers, government officials, emergency services and Coalition forces.

“We all work together to ensure the good citizens are provided for,”
Kuhn said.

“This is just a huge step in the right direction. There is
security here because of the Iraqis.

They have said, ‘Enough with the violence. We want to get back to what we need to be doing and that is taking care of our families and providing for all the good people.’”

The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., has been
deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

3rd HBCT Honors Troop B, 3-1st Cav. Regt

Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, praises the Soldiers of Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, for their performance during the unit’s current deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, at Combat Outpost Salie, April 22. “You have done everything we have asked of you in a professional manner,” said Grigsby. Troop B, currently attached to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, was awarded a framed certificate of appreciation by Grigsby after he spoke with them.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Iraqi Ministry of Tourism Visits Salman Pak

Sgt. Richard Ray, from Fayetteville, N.C., Company C, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, provides security at the Arch of Cfesiphon in Salman Pak, Iraq, during a visit by the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism, April 15.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Government Of Iraq Leaders Meet with Mada’in Qada Officials

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Key Iraqi governmental officials from Baghdad met with tribal and civic leaders of the Mada’in Qada during the Narhwan Development Conference held at a health clinic there, April 12.

An assistant to the governor of Baghdad; the director general of agriculture; the Mada’in Qada director of education; the director general of rural planning; and the mayor of the Mada’in Qada talked with local leaders about improving essential services in the area.

“A lot of coordination went into planning this meeting by the Narhwan council,” said Capt. Josh Beard, from Opelika, Ala., the civil military operations officer for 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery.

“They set this opportunity up and both groups acted on it. The representatives sent up a list of concerns to the proper officials ahead of time, so they could be prepared to discuss the issues.”

Beard explained that the conference was crucial for Narhwan residents.

“The lack of essential services has caused a lot of frustration here,” he said. “The officials from Baghdad did a good job of listening and explaining what is happening on their side. Being able to discuss things face to face cleared up a lot of issues.”

Beard said the meeting allowed officials to see the progress Narhwan has made in the last year.

“This was a good opportunity for the people of Narhwan to show the people from Baghdad where the money the Government of Iraq has provided has gone,” he said.

“The officials could actually see the projects that have improved the area. Of course, there are still areas that need improvement, but Narhwan has come a long way from where it was a year ago.”

The area’s stability is a key reason that Maj. James Carlisle, from West Palm Beach, Fla., the civil affairs officer for 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, believes the GoI will invest more in the region.

“Select areas of Baghdad are seeing an increase in violence,” he said. “The leadership in Narhwan has kept violence away from this area. The provincial-level leaders got to see that today. I believe they know they can afford to invest more in the area to reinforce the success of the area.”

Beard agrees with Carlisle’s assessment and believes that the area’s security will help lead to more meetings between the two groups.

“This meeting was an enormous step in the right direction,” he said. “It is great that officials were willing to come out here today. I think that them being able to see the security situation here will make them more willing to continue dialogue in the future and continue to come back.”

The 1-10 FA is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.