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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Nov 20, 2008 - 8:44:25 PM |
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Bastogne Sappers conduct multi-faceted, counter-insurgency operations to secure the once restive cities of Tikrit and Owja
By Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Sep 2, 2008 - 6:17:14 PM
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Soldiers from 1st Special Troops Battalion, pulls security during Operation Himera, as a UH-60 Black Hawks prepares to land to pick them up during a joint-air assault with Iraqi Police in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq Aug. 21. The early-morning air assault operation was aimed at clearing two known AQI hideouts in two separate locations near Lake Tharthar in the western portion of the province. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
TIKRIT, Iraq - It is 2 a.m., and the streets are empty as calm resides over the once restive city of Tikrit.
The only sounds are stray dogs howling and the echoing of messages transmitting from the speakers of local mosques.
In just a few hours the silence resonating throughout the city will be shattered with the thundering sound of helicopters carrying a combined force of U.S. Soldiers and Iraqi Police to a remote location where the enemy seeks refuge and plans attacks inside Tikrit.
The mission on this morning: to kill or capture extremists seeking safe haven in the desert areas west of the restive city.
The helicopter blades turn faster and faster as last minute checks are completed, and the stoic looks show men ready for battle.
The aircraft launch and are quickly hidden in the pitch-black Iraqi sky.
During flight, the sky begins to turn to light gray as the sun begins to rise.
As the suns peeks over the horizon, a reddish-orange glare engulfs the extremist hideout.
From out of the waning darkness, the helicopters swoop down and its occupants swiftly dismount the aircraft and assault the al Qaeda safe haven.
This operation named "Himera", a combined air assault with Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team and Iraqi Police, targeted al Qaeda fighters seeking safe haven near Tharthar Lake in the western portion of the Salah ad Din province.
The operation showcased the ability of Coalition and Iraqi Security forces to assault multiple targets in different locations throughout the province during a single air assault operation.
"We are disassembling the terrorist network that is trying to negate any progress my Iraqi counterparts are making inside the city of Tikrit," said Capt. John Gabriel, Alpha Company commander.
While adept at fighting the enemy in the open desert, for the Soldiers of Alpha Company it is not always helicopters and bullets.
In the days leading up to this operation these same Soldiers were confronting the enemy threat using a different method; social interaction.
This technique has become synonymous with Soldiers in this counter-insurgency fight.
By getting out amongst the people to expand relationships and trust, these combat engineers can more effectively secure the population centers of Tikrit and Owja; while at the same time defeat the enemy outside of the cities.
"My Soldiers see the difference they’re making by treating the people in our area with respect and dignity," Gabriel said. "The people in Tikrit and Owja have gone from a negative or neutral perception to Coalition forces, to an extremely positive one."
The 1st Special Troops Battalion has a unique task and organization here in Iraq. A brigade special troops battalion (BSTB), are designed to, support the brigade and its subordinate units with communications, intelligence, chemical reconnaissance, military police and engineer assets. For the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, the BSTB still provides the standard combat support to the brigade, but was also given the additional responsibility of securing a large portion of the Salah ad Din province, centered on the greater-Tikrit area. As a result of this nonstandard mission, the battalion was given the additional assets of two military police companies and an infantry company to help assist.
"Task Force Spartan brought together a diverse mix of companies and military specialties that have contributed to the overall mission success," said Maj. Timothy Povich, 1st BSTB executive officer. "We have infantry, engineer, military police, intelligence and signal companies as well as a Headquarters company all working in harmony to accomplish the mission. Every company brings a unique perspective and skill to the fight which sets us apart from your normal maneuver task force."
The routine combat engineer mission in Iraq is often tied to conducting route clearance operations. This mission is extremely vital to safety of U.S. Forces traveling on the dangerous Iraqi roads as well as the overall safety of the local Iraqi populace. Upon arrival in Iraq in September 2007; Alpha Company initially had this task. Taking on more and more civic responsibilities, the company recognized it needed to focus on the people and their security, rather than tackling both tasks.
"Combat Engineers performing a maneuver mission is not new to the Army, however in the last few years our ability to provide mobility through route clearance has overshadowed the other skills we bring to the battlefield," said Gabriel. "Sappers pride themselves on their ability to fight like Infantry when called upon to do so, and still accomplishing their doctrinal tasks of providing mobility, counter-mobility and survivability to other maneuver elements."
Over the past several months, Gabriel’s combat engineers have routinely conducted local leader engagements in addition to census and clearing operations in both Tikrit and Owja. Meetings with "mukhtars" or heads of villages or neighborhoods, occur almost daily. These meetings allow them to pass information along, as well as gather information on the needs of the people there.
"We realized early on that the majority of the population was either not informed or misinformed of their government’s progress and the intent of Coalition forces in their city," said Gabriel. "They also needed a chance to vent and discuss issues with us. We routinely go through neighborhoods to inform them of the progress being made in the city and to answer questions."
Although proud of the combat proficiency of his Soldiers and his Iraqi counterparts, Gabriel acknowledged that one day he hopes lethal operations won’t be necessary and all of the focus can be placed on the populace.
"The population is pleased with the security their police are providing them," Gabriel said, "I look forward to the day when lethal operations are not needed."
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| A group of Soldiers from the 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, provide security over watch as other Soldiers and Iraqi Police clear an al Qaeda hideout during Operation Himera Aug. 21. The Soldiers were positioned via helicopter during the air assault to set up a blocking position to ensure no enemy threats could escape from the area located in the desert areas near Lake Tharthar in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| Captain John Gabriel, commander of Alpha Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, pulls security as the sun rises in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq Aug. 21. Gabriel and his Soldiers conducted Operation Himera, a joint air assault with Iraqi Police targeting al Qaeda hideouts near Lake Tharthar in the Western Desert. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| Captain John Gabriel, commander of Alpha Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, pulls security as the sun rises in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq Aug. 21. Gabriel and his Soldiers conducted Operation Himera, a joint air assault with Iraqi Police targeting al Qaeda hideouts near Lake Tharthar in the Western Desert. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| Captain John Gabriel, commander of Alpha Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, pulls security during Operation Himera, as two UH-60 Black Hawks prepare to land to pick up his Soldiers during a joint-air assault with Iraqi Police in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq Aug. 21. Gabriel’s Soldiers, combat engineers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, assaulted two al Qaeda hideouts in separate locations during the operation. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| Soldiers from 1st Special Troops Battalion, pulls security during Operation Himera, as a UH-60 Black Hawks prepares to land to pick them up during a joint-air assault with Iraqi Police in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq Aug. 21. The early-morning air assault operation was aimed at clearing two known AQI hideouts in two separate locations near Lake Tharthar in the western portion of the province. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| Soldiers from 1st Special Troops Battalion, pulls security during Operation Himera, as a UH-60 Black Hawks prepares to land to pick them up during a joint-air assault with Iraqi Police in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq Aug. 21. The early-morning air assault operation was aimed at clearing two known AQI hideouts in two separate locations near Lake Tharthar in the western portion of the province. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| A Soldier from 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), braces himself from the high winds created by a UH-60 Black Hawk during Operation Himera Aug. 21. Operation Himera was a "joint" air assault with Iraqi Police conducted in the desert areas near Lake Tharthar in the the Salah ad Din province targeting known al Qaeda hideouts. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| An OH-58 Kiowa Warrior provides security for ground forces from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division during a joint air assault with Iraqi Police. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| Soldiers from 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, alongside their Iraqi Police counterparts, take up a defensive kneeling position while as they wait for helicopters to take them to another al Qaeda hideout in the Salah ad Din province, Iraq, during Operation Himera Aug. 21. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| A Soldier from Alpha Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, looks out at two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as he, and other Soldiers from his unit, move to another al Qaeda hideout in the Salah ad Din province Iraq, Aug. 21. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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| As the sun rises in the Salah ad Din province, Soldiers from 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, alongside their Iraqi Police counterparts, await helicopters to take them to another al Qaeda hideout located near Lake Tharthar in the Western Desert. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Doheny, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault]) |
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Comments
Wilson
02 Oct 2008, 05:19
Army rules!
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