Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
November 5, 2009
JSS CONDOR - For most Soldiers assigned to the 4th Brigade “Highland-ers,” 1st Armored Division, the unit’s advise and assist mission requires a re-thinking of traditional roles in a stabil-ity operations environment. The engi-neers of 2nd Platoon, Company E, 4th Batt alion, 6th Infantry Regiment are no diff erent.
When some people hear the word “en-gineer,” they think route clearance, but that’s only a small portion of the much larger combat engineer skill set, which these Soldiers are learning to apply in
new ways to support the mission.Based at Contingency Operating Site
Hunter in southern Maysan province and att ached to 2nd Sqdn., 13th Cav. Regt., “Task Force Saber,” the engineers act as the Route Clearance Team for the squadron, clearing 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 jundees of 3rd Batt alion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade in the use of mine detectors.
One of the new applications of mine detectors is not fi nding mines or live mu-nitions, but to discover hidden caches of
weapons and components in the marshy surroundings of Maysan province.
“Finding (caches) is a priority not only for us, but also for our Iraqi Army partners,” said Maj. Evan Wollen, Task Force Saber operations offi cer from
northern New Jersey. “Every suc-cessful interdiction means less le-thal aid ending up in the hands of Anti-Iraq forces.”
The training conducted at JSS Condor, a U.S. installation co-located with the 3rd Bn., 41st IA Bde., was divided into two dis-tinct sections.
The fi rst session was classroom instruction focusing on mine de-tector familiarization and appli-cations. Soldiers gained valuable insight on sweeping techniques for maximum eff ectiveness.
The jundees asked numerous questions of the two primary in-structors, combat engineers Spc. Carlos Heres from Miami, Fla., and Pfc. Ivan Ortega-Rojas from Phoenix, Ariz., who have exten-sive mine detector training.
The training motivated the Iraqis said Ortega-Rojas, “and we are eager to teach them because they are ready to handle their own security.”
Click here to subscribe
Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade train on proper sweeping techniques with a mine detector on one of several training lanes at Joint Security Station Condor in southern Maysan province. The Route Clearance Team from Company E, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, deployed from Fort Bliss, Texas is deployed to Iraq as part of the advise and assist mission of 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment.
Photo by 1st Lt. Brendon Hischar
– Maj. Evan Wollen,Task Force Saber operations offi cer
“Every successful inter-diction means less lethal aid ending up in the hands of Anti-Iraq forces.”
By 1st Lt. Brendon Hischar4th BCT, 1st Armd. Div.
Engineers take on new role
ENGINEERSPage 5
November 5, 2009 Page 2The Red Bull Report
172nd Brigade Combat Team
17th Fires Brigade
4th BCT, 1st Armored Division
28th Combat Aviation Brigade
343rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Media Queries please contact 34th Inf. Div. Public Affairs Offi ce at [email protected]
The Red Bull Report is an authorized publication for members of MND-S. Contents of The Red Bull Report are not necessarily offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 34th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Red Bull Report is prepared, edited provided and approved by the 34th Infantry Division Public Affairs Offi ce.
17
17
34th Inf. Div. PAO: Lt. Col. Kevin OlsonOIC, Command Information: Maj. Page BaldwinNCOIC, Command Information: 1st Sgt. Larry MearsNCOIC: Staff Sgt. Dave LankfordManaging Editor: Staff Sgt. Derek SmithGraphics Designer: Sgt. Eric JungelsLayout/Design: Spc. Stephanie CassinosStaff Writers: Pfc. J. Princeville Lawrence
Photo by Pfc. J. Princeville Lawrence
Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, meets with Maj. Gen. Rick Nash, commander, Multi-National Division - South, and Staff Major General Abdul Aziz Aswadi, commander of the 14th Iraqi Army Infantry Division during a visit Oct. 31 to Contingency Operating Base Basra. Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Force – Iraq from 2007 to 2008, reminisced with Aziz about their experiences during 2007’s surge of troops to Iraq.
Seeing stars: Gen. Petraeus visits COB Basra
COS HUNTER —Leaders of the 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry “Saber” Regi-ment, along with their partners of the 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, recently cele-brated a milestone in southern Maysan province.
The Multi-National Corps-Iraq com-manding general and 4th Brigade, 1st Armored commander identify the 41st Iraqi Army Brigade as the best unit they’ve seen, said 2nd Sqdn., 13th Cav. Regt. Commander, Lt. Col. William Walski, addressing att endees.
With so much recent growth and team building between the units, it was time for a social break to enjoy friend-ships, revel in mutual successes and look forward to future achievements during a dinner honoring the one-year anniversary of the 41st IA Bde.
The 41st IA Bde. has partnered with U.S. Forces in Maysan since 2008. Dur-ing recent months, the unit demonstrat-ed exceptional performance providing security in the province.
“The Ministry of Defense applauds the 41st Brigade as the number-one bri-gade in the IA,” said Walski. “We just wanted to recognize you formally as the number one brigade, on your num-ber one anniversary, and celebrate as a team.”
Since establishing a footprint in southern Maysan, the Soldiers of the brigade excelled in a variety of capaci-ty-building instructions to include ad-vanced medical training, crime scene investigation, light batt ery mortar training, intelligence gathering, main-tenance and close-quarters marksman-ship.
“I am very happy with the coopera-tion and coordination we share and my brigade would not be this successful without the help and cooperation of the U.S. Forces,” said Staff Brig. Gen. Mohammed, 41st IA Bde. commander. “When we work together, there is no diff erence between you and us.”
A Joint Operations Center, manned with Soldiers from Co. B, 4th Bn., 6th Inf. Regt., further enables commanders from the Iraqi and U.S. Armies to track their units throughout the batt lefi eld.
Together, the three batt alions under the 41st Bde., with the assistance of their U.S. counterparts, demonstrated con-sistent improvement and eagerness to develop.
Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby, command-ing general, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, recently visited COS Hunter and the 41st IA headquarters, where the commanders of both units outlined current operations in southern Maysan province. Jacoby congratulated both units on their joint achievements and
successes in synergizing resources. As Iraqi Security Forces prepare for
a signifi cant reduction of U.S. troops, leaders from both armies continue to take necessary steps to increase capac-ity and expand the strength of its mili-tary forces in this emerging sovereign nation. Their joint eff orts not only dis-courage smuggling, but improve the safety for every man, woman, and child in Maysan province and across Iraq.
The Red Bull Report November 5, 2009 Page 3
Leaders from 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment enjoy a night of dining away from the typical day fi lled with hard work. The 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division is deployed from Fort Bliss, Texas, to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces in Maysan province.
Photo by 1st Lt. Juan Torres Jr.
By 1st Lt. Juan Torres Jr.4th BCT, 1st Armd. Div.
Iraqi Army brigade’s year in review
For more of !st Lt. Torres’ stories, visit: www.TheRedBulls.org/Torres
The Red Bull Report November 5, 2009 Page 5
Sgt. Jacob Irish, a combat engineer from Long Beach, Calif. who supervised the train-ing, agreed with that assessment.
“(The jundees) 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 IA Soldiers moved to lanes training on post to familiarize them with how various ob-jects sound when detected by the mine detector.
The fi rst lanes feature shallowly-buried metal objects, such as inert ordnance and metal ammunition links, which keep students en-gaged and focused on minute changes in the soil. Other lanes simulate deeply-buried cach-es, featuring metal ammo cans and cardboard boxes fi lled with inert munitions to illustrate the sensitivity of the equipment.
All students had an opportunity to operate the mine detector, probe fi ndings, and recover buried objects until the Soldiers felt profi cient in all tasks assigned.
The training provided the IA Soldiers anoth-er tool to use in the fi ght against the smuggling of lethal aid in southern Maysan province.
SUDOKU For puzzle solutions visit: www.TheRedBulls.org/puzzlesolutions
From Page 1ENGINEERS
California’s surfi ng scene is said to have gott en its start in Long Beach when in 1911
two surfers returned from Hawaii and the city hosted the fi rst National Surfi ng and
Paddleboard Championships in 1938.
For more of 1st Lt. Hischar’s stories, visit: www.TheRedBulls.org/Hischar
The Red Bull Report November 5, 2009 Page 6
Around the world in 34 secondsROME - The Vatican Nov. 3 denounced a ruling by the European court of human rights that said the display of crucifi xes in Italian public schools violates religious and education freedoms. The court ordered Italy to pay a $7,390 fi ne to a mother in northern Italy who fought for eight years to have crucifi xes removed from her children’s public school classrooms. The Ital-ian government said it would appeal. Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said the crucifi x was a fundamental sign
of the importance of religious values in Italian history and culture and was a symbol of unity and welcoming for all of humanity. He said a European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matt er and said “it seems as if the court wanted to ignore the role of Christianity in forming Europe’s identity, which was and remains essential.”
WASHINGTON - Republicans infl icted a double blow on President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party, winning gubernatorial races in two states that had backed him last year. The Republican victories Nov. 3 in Virginia and New Jersey are a setback for Obama as he struggles to overhaul the U.S. health care system, win passage of climate change legislation, and build political support for his handling of the war in Afghanistan. They could also be ominous for Democrats ahead of next year’s midterm
elections, when a third of the Senate, the entire House of Representatives and most governorships are on the ballot. The elections may energize Republicans, who lost control of Congress in 2006 and lost the White House last year. It will help them raise money and recruit candidates to prepare for next year’s election.
DICKINSON, N.D. - The bodies of three missing North Dakota college soft ball players were found Nov. 3 inside a Jeep aft er authorities, aided by signals from the women’s last phone calls, spott ed the vehicle submerged in a farm pond. Police Lt. Rod Banyai said offi cers were investigating the cause of the deaths. He said he believed the women were on a stargaz-ing trip in the Jeep when they called for help, but he did not know whether it already was under water when the calls were
made. “At this time, foul play is not suspected,” Banyai said. Authorities had searched since Nov. 1 for Kyrstin Gemar, 22, of San Di-ego; Aft on Williamson, 20, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and Ashley Neufeld, 21, of Brandon, Manitoba. Banyai said the 12-foot-deep pond where the women were found is a couple miles off a road on a farm northwest of Dickinson.
BEDFORD, Pa. - In exchange for no jail time, a woman and her adult daughter have agreed to stand outside a Pennsylvania courthouse holding signs saying they stole a gift card from a 9-year-old girl on her birthday. Fift y-six-year-old Evelyn Bor-der and 35-year-old Tina Griekspoor stood outside the court for 4 1/2 hours Nov. 3. They held signs that read: “I stole from a 9-year-old girl on her birthday! Don’t steal or this could happen to you!” Because the women agreed to hold the signs, Bed-
ford County District Att orney Bill Higgins said he’ll ask for probation. Higgins said they swiped a gift card the girl set on a shelf while a Walmart employee helped her. The girl’s mother planned to drive by the courthouse to teach her daughter the importance of obeying the law.
