Saturday, May 17, 2008

Grigsby Arrives Home To Fort Benning

Two hundred and thirty soldiers of the 3rd Brigade are now home. Among them, the brigade’s commander, Colonel Wayne Grigsby.

The plane full of soldiers arrived on a breezy afternoon at Fort Benning. Something much different than the deserts they are used to.

“The feeling… it doesn’t get, it just gets better each time you come home you’re just so happy that you made it home,” Grigsby said.

Grigsby is no stranger to deployments. He says it’s been tough over the years, but thanks his wife Cynthia for all of her help during the tough times.

“It’s just like we were 18 years old again. I met her in Panama on a blind date and gave her a kiss we married 4 months later and it will be just the same way. She’s my hero and I love that woman to death,” he said.

The Sledgehammer soldiers followed their leader into the limelight, while Grigsby’s family waited to be re-united. Once they were together again, he had the chance to hold his new grandson.

“He is in uniform so he’s ready to grow so I have to introduce myself to him. Whenever that is we’ll be good,” he said

Grigsby says the majority of the brigade is now back home with their families, but there are more flights coming home, so stay tuned, because more Sledgehammer soldiers will soon return.

In the meantime, you can visit our 3rd Brigade blog, Hammerslogger.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Weapons cache found in Wardia

By Pfc. Michael Schuch, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div. PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – U.S. Soldiers discovered a weapons cache belonging to a local criminal group known for targeting Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition forces, while patrolling the town of Wardia May 3.

Soldiers with Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, found the cache through a tip received from Sons of Iraq and National Police sources.

Explosives ordnance disposal Soldiers confirmed the cache included three Iranian rocket-propelled grenades, three RPG launchers, propellant, multiple trip flares, one heavy machine gun, ski masks and ISF uniforms.

The Soldiers from 1-15th Inf. Regt. are currently attached to 3rd Squadron,1st Cavalry Regiment, which is scheduled to redeploy soon to Fort Benning, Ga. They conducted the reconnaissance mission as part of a scheduled transition of the area to the 1-6th Inf. Regt. Soldiers, attached to 1st Squadron, 35th Armor Regiment.

A key element in the transition is that the relationship with the Iraqi NP brigade will stay in place, said Maj. Andrew Koloski, from Juneau, Alaska, the executive officer of 3-1st Cav. Regt.

“The National Police have increased their abilities so they can provide the continuity in our area of operations,” said Koloski, adding the NP have given intelligence leading to several cache finds.

The 3-1st Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and deployed to Iraq in March 2007.
The 1-6th Inf. Regt. and 1-35th Armor Regt. are assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, from Baumholder, Germany.

For queries, contact the Multi-National Division – Center Public Affairs at or by phone at Commercial 912-767-3373 during the day and 912-767-4966 from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. For MND-C news, go to http://www.taskforcemarne.com.

Monday, May 05, 2008

TST Platoon Follows Tip

Members of the time sensitive target platoon, an element of 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, conducted a search mission May 1 in Jisr Diyala to verify information on a potential weapons cache.

The TST specializes in raid and search operations against criminals in the Mada’in Qada; their searches are not limited to one battalion area of operations, said Maj. David Guthrie, from Hampton, Va.

“The TST is really a master of all areas,” said Guthrie, the operations officer in charge of planning the TST missions. “They do missions all over the Mada’in Qada.”

First Lieutenant John Lorme, from Aberdeen, Md., the unit’s platoon leader, received information of possible rocket-propelled grenades and launchers hidden in a house in Jisr Diyala. Leaders of 3-1st Cav. Regt. suspected criminals of using a house to prepare attacks against Coalition forces, said Capt. James Capobianco, from Middleton, N.Y., intelligence officer for 3-1st Cav. Regt.

“My men hope for the best and are prepared for the worst,” Lorme said before the mission.

When they arrived at the target house, the TST platoon Soldiers quickly set up a perimeter. They began the mission by clearing the target houses and securing the people inside. Their search for weapons and explosives lasted about an hour, but none were found.

“You don’t always find something on these missions,” Lorme said. “But … everyone comes back safe, it’s a success to me.”
Guthrie agreed with Lorme’s assessment.

“Going out there disrupts the extremists,” he said. “When we raid into their sanctuary, it disrupts the extremists’ networks and they feel hounded.”

In the 14 months that TST has operated in the Mada’in Qada, their efforts have been successful, Guthrie said. They have captured five brigade-level high value individuals, 12 squadron HVIs and numerous weapons caches.

On this mission, the 3-1st Cav. Regt. Soldiers were joined by several members of the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, who is in the process of replacing the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team in the Mada’in Qada.

The 1-35th Armor Regt. is assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, from Baumholder, Germany.
The 3-1st Cav. Regt., assigned to 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., has been deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom since March 2007.

Dismounted operation yields significant cache

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Coalition forces found a significant weapons cache while conducting dismounted operations approximately five miles southeast of Baghdad, May 3.

The cache contained three rocket-propelled grenade warheads and propellants, three RPG launchers and a heavy machine gun.

Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, found the cache in an open courtyard. Other items found in the cache included several ski masks with an Iraqi National Police brassard, a light machine gun with a small amount of ammunition and multiple trip flares. The RPG items are believed to be of Iranian origin.

As 3rd HBCT Bids Farewell, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div. Strengthens Growing Bond

The commander of Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, met with Qussin Yassim, leader of the Tessah Nissan Sons of Iraq group, to bid farewell and introduce the leadership of 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery during a ceremony here May 1.

Capt. Charles Cannon, of Moultrie, Ga., commander of Battery A, and Lt. Col. Mark Sullivan, from Huntsville, Ala., commander of the 1-10th FA, expressed his appreciation to Yassim for their strong relationship, and introduced Capt. Mathew Hustead, commander of Battery B, 4-27th FA, and Lt. Col. Michael Mammay, commander of the 4-27th FA. Cannon planned the ceremony to allow Hustead and Yassim the opportunity to meet and continue the working relationship with the SoI group.

The SoI group has played a key role in key infrastructures, such as roads and water distribution facilities. They have helped secure humanitarian aid missions, and identified numerous caches and improvised explosive devices, said Capt. Josh Beard, of Opelika, Ala., civil military operations officer for the 1-10th FA.

Yassim expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided by Cannon.
“I hope to continue the same relationship with Lieutenant Colonel Mammay and Captain Hustead so that Tessah Nissan will stay secure,” Yassim said.
Sullivan thanked Yassim for the warm welcome of the new SoIdiers, “I hope you continue to treat them (4-27th FA) as you’ve treated us.”
Yassim closed the meeting by saying, “We hope and pray we can continue to work together as well as we have.”
The 1-10th FA, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, since March 2007.
The 4-27th FA, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div., from Baumholder, Germany deployed in support of OIF in April.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

First of Seven for 2nd BCT To Earn Trust

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – According to Iraqi custom, it is common to meet seven times before establishing trust. For the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, that tradition began April 30 in the Mada’in Qada.

Col. Pat White, commander of 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div., met for the first time with the Mada’in Qada Support Council, Iraqi Army, National Police and Sons of Iraq during the Support Council security meeting at FOB Hammer.

The seven-meeting tradition is just the beginning. As their relationship and trust grows together, the 2nd BCT Soldiers will assume more control and support of the local area.

Colonel Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., commander of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, spoke during the meeting and reviewed several of his brigade’s successes on their tour here.

Many of the council members introduced themselves to White and thanked Grigsby and his Soldiers for their work over the past year.

Sheikh Abu Hatem, from the Mada’in Qada, said, “The number one recruiter for terrorism is unemployment, and therefore unemployment must continue to be addressed.”

The meeting came to a close with Sheikh Nori Zabar Khamiss, Support Council leader, expressing feelings of trust and safety.

“I feel I can say that today, thanks to the Sons of Iraq, Coalition forces, and Iraqi Security Forces, our area is now safe,” he said. “I look forward to continuing the success with the new leaders.”

The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div., from Fort Benning, Ga., has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. The 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div., from Baumholder, Germany, has been deployed in support of OIF since April.