Stryker Brigade News

SPC Joseph M. Lewis

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Joseph M. Lewis, 26, of Terrell, Texas died on Nov. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Related:

Official DoD Announcement

Bomb kills Fort Lewis soldier - The News Tribune

Iraqi Army, U.S. Forces Work to Build Better Security

Story by Spc. Anthony Jones, 145th MPAD

DIYALA, Iraq – The Iraqi army with the help of U.S. Soldiers and contractors placed two large concrete towers and several concrete blast walls near the Diyala province, Nov. 14.

"The towers will go a long way in helping the Iraqi army provide better security for the Iraqi citizens," said 1st Lt. Jacob Magill, a platoon leader with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

The first of the two towers was erected near the village of al Sada, where al- Qaeda has been moving, according to 1st Lt. Haider Maher Ali, executive officer for 3rd Company, 3rd Battalion, 20th Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division.

"We are placing these towers here in order to control the northern sector and deter al-Qaeda movement in the area," said Haider, who added he joined the IA to help build a better Iraq and make it a peaceful area.

The tower had to be erected on site, and was delivered and constructed by civilian contractors from Kellogg, Brown and Root with the aid of an Iraqi contractor and a large crane to lift the heavy sections of tower and the multiple blast walls placed around the tower.

"Working with the Iraqi contractor and IA shows our commitment to the security agreement," said Magill. "It was also good for the Iraqi citizens to see the Iraqi civilian crane operator working with the Iraqi army, working with the U.S. forces and showing a good, combined operation on all fronts."

After the first tower and blast walls were in place, Haider, who personally led the placement of the tower and accompanying walls, ensured his Soldiers would be able to utilize the tower for its intended purpose.

Once the first tower was placed the U.S. forces escorted the contractors through the desert to the second site where it could be used for over watch.

"We will work with U.S. forces as one team to help make this area safe and to secure the people from the bad people whether it be al-Qaeda or any terrorist organization as we build a new Iraq," said Haider.

(via DVIDS)

Stryker Memorial

Ft. Lewis held a memorial yesterday for two 5/2 SBCT soldiers killed in Iraq. The News Tribune provided coverage.

[I]nsurgents detonated a bomb underneath their 20-ton Stryker, killing Spc. Aaron Seth Aamot and Spc. Gary Lee Gooch Jr., both 22 years old.
Hundreds gathered at the North Fort Chapel on Thursday to mourn the 27th and 28th losses from 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. Aamot, a soldier from Custer, near Bellingham, was remembered for his deep Christian faith and deep love of military history. Gooch, a radio telephone operator from central Florida, was remembered for having a wicked sense of humor.

The men served with the hardest-hit unit in the brigade: 2nd Platoon of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment. Their unit has lost 11 soldiers since July, fighting in the Arghandab Valley of Kandahar province.

Mechanics Keep Task Force Legion Rolling

Story by Pvt. Luke Rollins, 22nd MPAD

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RAMROD, Afghanistan – This year marks the first time the sands of southern Afghanistan have seen the tire treads of Army Strykers. The 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division's campaign in the Kandahar province depends upon the vehicles freely roaming the desert, disrupting counterinsurgency patterns and enemy supply chains.

While the Soldiers inside the Strykers score victories against enemy forces in the Afghan countryside, behind the scenes teams of mechanics work to keep the motor pool at full strength.

At Ramrod, the task of repairing not only Strykers but all the vehicles attached to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, falls to the team of mechanics and other repairmen from Combat Repair Team 1, 402nd Brigade Support Battalion.

"On a daily basis we have anywhere from seven to 10 vehicles for different reasons," said Chief Warrant Officer Heriberto Rivera, a technician at the Ramrod motor pool and battalion maintenance chief.

The two main types of repairs are scheduled repairs, such as annual and semiannual services, and unscheduled repairs, which are the damages vehicles see outside the wire, said Rivera.

Broken Stryker suspension systems, a casualty of the challenging Afghan terrain, are the most common problem seen at the motor pool. However, the team also replaces transmissions, transfers, axles, steering arms and steering bearings – in addition to repairing the weapon systems on the vehicles that come through the shop.

Often with unscheduled repairs, a damaged vehicle's immobility requires a small recovery team to take a wrecker outside the wire, said Rivera.

"My guys go out there...and sometimes they get indirect fire, and they have to react like every Soldier. They are mechanics, but first they are Soldiers," he said.

Enemy contact is only one of the challenges mechanics here face, said Sgt. Frank Smith, a mechanic and the shop foreman.

Smith says with 50 to 60 vehicles a week, in an area of operations that numbers more than 300 vehicles, the Soldiers face grueling days that outlast the sun.

"We work seven days a week, 12, 14 hours a day, just doing this," said Smith.

Despite the workload, Rivera said the team's vehicle turnaround time frequently exceeds the standard.

"I'd say between four to five hours and we've got the vehicle fixed and back into the battle," he said.

The Soldiers' work ethic and performance are high, despite small numbers, and more importantly, they've maintained a good attitude toward the work, said Rivera.

Smith agreed.

"Most of them have kept their morale up really well," he said. "Our guys are actually really great mechanics – they're real quick at their job. We've got an outstanding team."

(via DVIDS)

Task Force Legion Arrives in Maywand District

Story by Pvt. Luke Rollins

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RAMROD, Afghanistan – Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, have spent the first months of their deployment introducing themselves to the people of the Kandahar region and its terrain.

2/1 Soldiers, part of the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, are patrolling along Afghanistan's Highway 1 to prevent the insurgent flow of men, weapons and equipment.

The mission has seen success in its early stages, said Capt. Matt Quiggle, commander of Alpha Troop, on loan from the 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment of 5th SBCT.

"Along the highway there have been a reduced number of attacks. We've had success partnering with the Afghan national army and [Afghan] national police, and meeting the local leaders," said Quiggle.

Quiggle's troops and other units have been pushing north into areas that haven't seen ISAF forces in a long time. The introduction of Strykers to the region has allowed ISAF forces to disrupt what traditionally has been an insurgent stronghold.

"The terrain here is very challenging," he said. "Getting to the villages is stage one. I think that's our biggest challenge right now."

Once there, Quiggle has been meeting with village leaders in an effort to make the Coalition presence known and to find out who's doing what in those towns.

"[We'll] continue pushing north into the mountains as long as it disrupts the [insurgents] and gets the locals involved in that process. We're here to stay, and we're here to provide them security."

(via DVIDS)

Michael Yon to Embed With Strykers in Afghanistan

According to a new update on his website, Michael Yon is headed back to Afghanistan. Yon tends to embed for long periods of time, so it will be nice to have additional first-hand reporting re: the 5/2 SBCT.

As of today, this is the first set of paperwork for Afghanistan. Minutes ago, I completed and emailed these forms to Afghanistan for an embed with the Stryker Brigade. Looking forward to getting back with the infantry.

Zaidon Market Road Increases Commerce, Safety

Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth

BAGHDAD – Local area leaders of Zaidon gathered, Nov. 12, to celebrate the completion of the three-month-long project which transformed what was once just a pot-holed dirt road into paved thoroughfare.

Soldiers with 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division provided security at the official opening of the road, designed to facilitate easier travel and better business opportunities for locals going to the Zaidon Market in Abu Ghraib.

"People weren't able to get in the Zaidon market to make purchases in the city and transport goods and items that were sold, particularly agricultural items," said Navy Lt. Ross Simpson, a civil affairs team leader with 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion. "Trucks couldn't fit through."

The $440,000 funding for the project was funded through Commander's Emergency Response Program. The project started during a previous brigade's deployment and was transferred to Simpson when his unit took over responsibility for the area.

The close proximity of the market to the citizens of Zaidon was also taken into consideration when planning what improvements would be made. These considerations lead to going beyond just simply widening and paving the streets for vehicles, the sidewalks were also paved for the safety and ease of pedestrian traffic.

"The overall goal of the project was to provide the local populace of the Zaidon village with a more efficient, safer, more convenient way to travel throughout this major village," said Simpson, a native of Dalton, Ga.

Convenience, however, came to a screeching halt in the beginning of the project.

"One of the biggest obstacles was being able to juggle the amount of traffic on any given day with construction work that needed to be completed," explained Simpson. "[The workers] had to do it in a way to allow the local populace to use [the road.]"

It took a lot of planning, but the project was finally completed earlier this week, he said.

Once the ceremony came to an end, the attendees said their goodbyes and left down the road that now provides the area with a safer and more efficient way to travel.

(via DVIDS)

"Camera Boy" Book Signing

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a reading and book signing by Fred Minnick, author of Camera Boy: An Army Journalist's War in Iraq. As part of the 139 MPAD unit that covered the war in Iraq during 2004-2005, Minnick was crucial in telling the story of the 3/2 SBCT and the 1/25 SBCT as they operated in the Northern part of the country.

I've corresponded periodically with Fred, but never had the chance to meet him in person until last night. His reading opened with the following quote from General George Washington.

The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation. - George Washington

This set the stage for the book passage he subsequently read, which described a series of post-deployment events that slowly and painfully made him realize that he needed help to deal with the PTSD he was suffering from. That was four years ago. Minnick made it clear that writing the book and speaking about it are part of the continuing healing process. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

Fred's book tour will take him to Springfield, MO, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK this week. Definitely attend a reading if you're in the area.

Related:

Buy Camera Boy: An Army Journalist's War in Iraq at Amazon.com
Visit Fred's website
Become a fan on Facebook

Embedded Report With 5/2 SBCT

Sara Carter of the Washington Times has an article featuring the 2-1 INF, 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan.

KASHK-E-NOKHOWD, Afghanistan | Army Capt. Casey Thoreen wiped the last bit of sleep from his eyes before the sun rose over his isolated combat outpost.
His soldiers did the same as they checked and double-checked their weapons and communications equipment. Ahead was a dangerous foot patrol into the heart of Taliban territory.

"Has anyone seen the [Afghan National Army] guys?" asked Capt. Thoreen, 30, the commander of Blackwatch Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment with the 5th Stryker Brigade. "Are they not showing up?"

4-23 INF Operates in Zabul

Stars & Stripes reports on the 4-23 INF, 5/2 SBCT as it operates in Shah Joy District, Afghanistan.

SHAH JOY DISTRICT, Afghanistan — An old man approached U.S. soldiers and Afghan army troops and told them he knew of a madrassa where it was rumored that Taliban fighters had indoctrinated young men to become suicide bombers.
U.S. soldiers saw the tip as a huge break. Shortly after they had moved into the area in August, a Taliban suicide bomber had struck during a patrol in the Shah Joy bazaar, killing two civilians and wounding 12 soldiers.

The discovery of the Taliban religious school was the biggest find during a three-day operation in late October in Zabul province’s Chineh villages, which U.S. troops described as an important Taliban stronghold. No weapons or explosives were found, but graffiti inside the mud-brick compound indicated that the building had served as a Taliban safe house.

In a remote region where U.S. and Afghan security forces are scarce, villagers have largely thrown their lot in with the Taliban, either by choice or necessity. The madrassa tip was a small sign, the Americans hoped, that those sentiments may be beginning to shift.

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U.S. forces chafe under challenges of working with Afghan forces-| Stars and Stripes

War Eagles gear up for IR 10

2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office

Vilseck, Germany – Troopers of 1st Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment are headed for the Republic of Georgia to participate in a two-week long training event known as Immediate Response 10.

IR10 is a joint exercise conducted at Vaziani Military Base to improve combined capabilities and strengthen regional cooperation. This exercise is held yearly and allows U.S. Soldiers the chance to train alongside and get to know their Georgian counterparts .

“One Georgian platoon will be integrated into our company,” explained Capt. Chris Felix, Bull Company commander , 1st Squadron, 2SCR, “and one of our platoons will join the Georgian company.”

Felix said the exercise will begin with each unit conducting situational training exercise which will culminate into a company-level field training exercise as the capstone event.

Some of the skills the Dragoons and their Georgian allies will be honing as part of the platoon level training is reacting to contact, cordon and search as well as capture and recover high value targets and personnel.

When they are not training hard in the field, Felix said his Soldiers will have the chance to get to know their Georgian brothers and their customs.

“We will have a cultural day and a weapons live-fire as well,” Felix said. The live-fire event will allow each Soldier the chance to fire the others weapons.

Felix said that the highlight of the exercise for his Soldiers will be working alongside the Georgian military.

“With current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, working with partner nations is a skill set every Soldier needs,” Felix said.”Anytime we have a chance to work with a partner military it’s great.”

War Eagles dedicate room to fallen Brothers

2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office

Vilseck, Germany – The War Eagles of 1st Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment gathered with their German counterparts from the 112th Panzer Brigade Thursday for the dedication of their newly renovated squadron classroom. In addition the unit unveiled the War Eagle Memorial Wall dedicated to the memory of the eight Soldiers killed during the Regiment’s deployment to Iraq last year.

The ceremony began with the unveiling of the classroom’s new name. The classroom was named after Sgt. Patrick Leonard. Leonard was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on May 15 1870. Leonard and four Troopers from C Troop, 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment were searching the Little Blue River in Nebraska when a war party of 50 Indians surrounded the group. Leonard slaughtered the two wounded horses and proceeded to use them to build a fortification. In the end the Troopers repelled the attack killing three and wounding several others. With all their mounts killed in battle, Leonard withdrew his men on foot.

Following the room dedication, the Burgermeister of Hirchau, Hans Drexler and Lt. Col. Markus Kreitmayr of 112 was invited to tap the first kegs of War Eagle Brau. War Eagle Brau was brewed specifically for 1/2 by the Hirschau Schlossbraurei in honor of the numerous community outreach projects the Squadron has performed in the city.

Once the kegs were tapped and the steins were full, Glasses were raised in honor of the eight fallen War Eagles whose pictures adorned the memorial wall. Each Trooper was toasted by a friend who described their character, and a stein of beer was poured for each and placed on the bar.

Staff Sgt. Joseph Gamboa of B Company was described as the company cook, father figure and holder of wisdom. Know as Gumby to those in his unit, his death became the rallying cry for all future missions.

Sgt. Randell Olguin of C Company was remembered for his generous and disarming nature. One Soldier recalled how Olguin loaned him and his pregnant wife a vehicle for a month without any thought of compensation.

Cpl. Steven Candelo of A Company was remembered as a man who lived his life based on loyalty and integrity. He was the guy who could always break the ice in an awkward moment.

Cpl. Joshua Molina of C Company was the Soldier you looked to get the job done. He was remembered for his sense of humor and his ability to make anyone laugh in a stressful situation.

Cpl. Jason Kazarick or “Kaz” of B Company was lovingly described as a grumpy old man who always had a smile on his face. Kaz spent his time enjoying Germany with his brothers-in-arms

Sgt. Michael Lilly of B Company was a big brother and mentor to his fellow Troopers. As an NCO he never had any sense of a duty day. Lilly was often found after hours helping his Soldiers with various problems and issues.

Sgt. John Daggett B Company was a very spiritual man who treated all his friends like family. His compassionate nature was evident to all who knew him.

Cpl. Justin Mixon of C Company was a Renaissance man at the age of 22. He was best known as the man who could do any job in the unit that was needed.

Each man was toasted and remembered by everyone for how they lived their lives. This ceremony will be repeated at all future functions conducted in the room.The memorial bar was graciously donated to the Squadron by the War Eagle Foundation.

Raiders Earn Combat Patch

Story by Sgt. Bryce Dubee

BAGHDAD, Iraq – All across western Baghdad, Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division took time, Nov. 11, to make an adjustment to their uniform; adding the distinctive Indianhead patch of the 2nd Inf. Div. to their right sleeves.

The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Former Wartime Service, commonly known as the "combat patch" is authorized for wear right sleeve of the uniform by Soldiers to denote their participation in combat operations.

Roughly 4,000 troops from Fort Lewis based brigade combat team arrived in Iraq in the beginning of September, conducting operations across western Baghdad and north, to include the city of Taji. Of those Soldiers, approximately 1,200 received their first combat patch on Wednesday.

"This patch is never coming off of this uniform," said Pfc. Jason Jerome, an Aniston, Ala. native assigned to 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment. "I'm really proud of it."

Units within the brigade all held their own patching ceremonies with Soldiers amassing in front of rows of Stryker armored vehicles, around a large metal anvil and even at a nighttime bonfire.

At a small ceremony held in front of the brigade headquarters, Soldiers representing every battalion received their patch from Col. John Norris, the brigade commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Huggins, the brigade command sergeant major.

"It is, indeed, my honor to stand amongst you heroes, put your combat patches on, and welcome you to a very, very elite club," said Norris, after the ceremony.

Spc. Niomi Wright, a Portland, Ore. native from 4th Brigade's personnel office said that it felt "surreal" to actually be in Iraq and receive her patch.

"It's exciting. I never thought I'd actually deploy," she said.

Pfc. Joel Pasqualucci, from Placentia, Calif., said he feels that earning the patch will help in his military career, as a sign of experience.

"I think it represents everything that you're doing here," he said. "It's [not just] a patch."

(via DVIDS)

Abu Ghraib Recreational Facilities Improvements

Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Thanks to combined efforts of U.S. forces and the Iraqi community, the children of Abu Ghraib have two new places where they can safely play.

Local leaders from the Abu Ghraib area, along with Lt. Col. John Leffers, commander, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, and native of Utica, N.Y., attended the opening ceremony of a soccer field and a playground, here, in central Abu Ghraib, Nov.10.

The soccer field and playground, funded by the Commander's Emergency Response Program and sponsored by the Iraqi Ministry of Youth and Sports, cost approximately $20,000 and $40,000 respectively, and were contracted through two different sources.

Sheikh Qassim, a member of the Abu Ghraib council, cut the ribbon to the soccer field, opening the field to the public.

After the ribbon cutting, Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, were swarmed by local children as they handed out soccer balls to celebrate the opening of the new field. Claiming their new toys, the children ran and played on the field.

Just a short walk away from the new soccer field, the ribbon to a new playground was also cut. Children flooded the grounds, rushing to climb on the new equipment. They slid down a giant yellow slide and took turns swinging on primary colored swings.

"These new areas will provide a place for children to play and build friendships with other villages' children who hopefully come [to the soccer field and playground]," said Col. Sabah Mahmoud Ala Bid, an Abu Ghraib police station commander.

First Sgt. Charles Tennant, a native of Buhl, Idaho, said the opening of a soccer field and a colorful park, with senior council members present, showed two things.

"One, the senior leadership of this city is vastly interested, involved and driven in providing a better community by creating jobs which create the projects that improve the city as a whole," Tennant said. "Second, it sends a loud and resounding statement to all those who create this terror that the Iraqi people have lived with for years: We fight for our freedoms, our children and our choice. It shows the terrorists they cannot stop forward progress and they have not won, and they will not."

(via DVIDS)

NPR Follow Up

NPR has posted a follow up (article, audio, photos) to its article the other day about the 5/2 SBCT.

It's still pitch black on Nov. 6 when the Stryker armored vehicles roll out of their hilltop compound in Afghanistan's Arghandab Valley, a Taliban stronghold outside the southern city of Kandahar. The soldiers of the Army's 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Lewis, Wash., know the Taliban is out there, watching, so they are using the cover of darkness to begin this recovery mission.
The day before, a massive bomb tore apart an armored vehicle, killing two soldiers of the 2nd Platoon. Now, the troops are heading out of their outpost to recover their still-smoldering Stryker.

Pvt. Dylan Higden bounces along inside the tight crew compartment of his Stryker. Along the way, he talks about his unit — and the attacks it has endured — in the first three months of its yearlong deployment.

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With the 5/2 SBCT in Afghanistan