Colorado Guardsmen Play an Integral Role in Al Anbar Province
By Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli, Colorado Army National Guard
Aug 18, 2009 - 6:25:30 PM
Blackanthem Military News
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| Spc. Casey Ferguson of Northglenn, Colo., communicates with other personnel in his vehicle while on a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. Ferguson, of Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, serves as the gunner on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. He vigilantly scans his sector for any suspicious activities to ensure the safety of his vehicle, as well as other vehicles in the convoy. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) |
AR RAMADI, Iraq - Colorado Army National Guard's 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, 115th Fires Brigade, arrived in Iraq and hit the ground running.
The Soldiers are performing a slew of missions in Ar Ramadi ranging from Quick Reaction Force to Personnel Security Detail to operating towers and gates at Camp Ramadi. Each of the batteries assigned to 3-157 FA holds different areas of responsibility.
Battery B, 3-157 FA, conducts Personal Security Detail missions for the Camp Ramadi-based Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team.
"Without the presence of a security detachment, the Provincial Reconstruction Team would not be able to perform its mission safely," explains Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leonard Norris, an operations noncommissioned officer with the PRT.
Battery B is charged with maintaining tight security for members of the PRT, as well as those with whom they meet. The protection provided to the PRT by Battery B is essential to the success of their missions.
"If my [Soldiers] can provide that sense of comfort for [the PRT] then the team can concentrate more on their job at hand and not worry about the security piece," said 1st Sgt. Rodolfo Reyes, Battery B first sergeant.
August 9 was the battery's first mission to the province's Fuel Distribution Center.
"We were at the Ramadi Fuel Distribution Center to meet with the Director General of Oil Distribution Abdul Ghani, about the current problems with fuel and oil distribution facing Al Anbar and to assess the progress of the FDC," said Lance Cpl. Chase Niblett, of the Multi National Force - West Civil Military Operations section.
The Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team consists of subject matter experts in an array of fields such as governance, economics, infrastructure, rule of law, public diplomacy and public affairs, project management and operations. Anbar PRT encompasses specialists from the departments of State, Defense and Justice and U.S. Agency for International Development. Both uniformed service members and civilians serve on the PRT.
While members of the Anbar PRT met with Ghani, the security detail maintained their highest level of vigilance to ensure the safety of those who they were protecting.
"Staying vigilant is paramount to the safety of any and all individuals (we protect) to include civilians," said Spc. John Perea of the PSD. "[It] can and will help prevent or defuse a situation before it gets out of hand. If something does happen and it wasn't preventable, it's better to be ready to react than be caught off guard."
At the culmination of the meeting, Ghani invited the Soldiers to rotate in and enjoy some local Iraqi food.
"[The food] was amazing," said Sgt. Jeff Daniels, a Soldier assigned to the PSD. "It's probably one of the best dishes I've eaten in a long time."
"I think [the Iraqis] look at sharing a meal as ‘sealing the deal' so to speak," said Niblett. "When we eat out in town, the Soldiers [on the PSD] normally get some Iraqi food, but I've never seen an Iraqi as motivated about getting the PSD team fed as I saw here."
This mission, supported by Battery B, gave the Ramadi-based PRT an opportunity to continue building and strengthening their relationship with the local government, business leaders and elected officials.
According to the Anbar PRT, oil has not only changed the immediate lives of the people of Anbar; its potential will have huge impacts in the future. The PRT is in place to assist and assess the progress of the oil distribution, among their many tasks.
"I'm happy knowing something is getting done for the Iraqis," said Daniels. "We are here to help."
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Spc. Casey Ferguson of Northglenn, Colo., communicates with other personnel in his vehicle while on a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. Ferguson, of Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, serves as the gunner on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. He vigilantly scans his sector for any suspicious activities to ensure the safety of his vehicle, as well as other vehicles in the convoy. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) |
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| Spc. Casey Ferguson of Northglenn, Colo., communicates with other personnel in his vehicle while on a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. Ferguson, of Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, serves as the gunner on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. He vigilantly scans his sector for any suspicious activities to ensure the safety of his vehicle, as well as other vehicles in the convoy. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) |
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| Staff Sgt. Brian Carver of Aurora, Colo., conducts security for members of Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team while on a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. Carver, who is assigned to Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, scans his sector of the perimeter around the PRT members who are meeting at the Fuel Distribution Center in Al Anbar Province. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) |
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| Staff Sgt. Brian Carver of Aurora, Colo., conducts security for members of Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team while on a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. Carver, who is assigned to Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, maintains a secured perimeter around members of the PRT at the Fuel Distribution Center in Al Anbar Province. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) |
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| Spc. John Perea of Thornton, Colo., conducts security for the members of a Provincial Reconstruction Team while on a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. Perea, who is assigned to Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, maintains a secured perimeter around members of the PRT at the Fuel Distribution Center in Al Anbar Province. "Staying vigilant is paramount to the safety of any and all individuals (we protect) to include civilians," said Perea. "[It] can and will help prevent or defuse a situation before it gets out of hand. If something does happen, and it wasn't preventable, it's better to be ready to react than be caught off guard." (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) (Released) |
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| The Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team attends a meeting at the Fuel Distribution Center in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009, to discuss oil and fueling in Al Anbar Province. Colorado Army National Guard's 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, provides a Personnel Security Detail to ensure the safety of those in attendance. The Anbar PRT consists of subject matter experts in an array of fields such as governance, economics, infrastructure, rule of law, public diplomacy, public affairs, project management and operations. Anbar PRT encompasses specialists from the departments of State, Defense and Justice, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Agency for International Development. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) (Released) |
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| A State Department linguist (left) and Marine Maj. Stephanie Griffith, the infrastructure project manager for Provincial Reconstruction Team Anbar, (right) inspect newly installed fuel pumps at the Anbar Fuel Distribution Center in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. The pumps were a part of a capacity-building project that assisted the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. "The Fuel Distribution Company increases their ability to distribute much needed refined fuel throughout Anbar Province," said Dean Mattaline, an infrastructure team leader for the Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) (Released) |
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| Soldiers assigned to Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, enjoy an Iraqi meal offered by Director General of Oil Distribution Abdul Ghani in Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. "[The food] was amazing," said Sgt. Jeff Daniels, a Soldier assigned to Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery's Personnel Security Detail. "It's probably one of the best dishes I've eaten in a long time." Lance Cpl. Chase Niblett of Multi National Force - West Civil Military Operations section said, "I think [the Iraqis] look at sharing a meal as ‘sealing the deal' so to speak. When we eat out in town, the Soldiers [on the PSD] normally get some Iraqi food, but I've never seen an Iraqi as motivated about getting the PSD team fed as I saw here." (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) (Released) |
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| A Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, conducts personnel security for Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team at the Fuel Distribution Center in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Aug. 9, 2009. "Without the presence of a security detachment, the Provincial Reconstruction Team would not be able to perform its mission safely," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leonard Norris, a PRT operations noncommissioned officer based in Ar Ramadi. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli) (Released) |
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