Unit receives gift of MRAPs
(Photo Contributed) From left to right is MSG Mark Kelley - Florida, LTC Andrew Lark - Mississippi, SFC Kelly Reid - Fort Knox, Kentucky, MAJ John Sullivan - Michigan, MSG Robert Wiatt - Bloomington, Indiana, SFC Larry Baltierra - California, MAJ Donald Green - Brandenburg, Kentucky (a Whitley County native), SFC Billy Ortiz - Florida, LTC Robert King - Colorado, SFC Alan Meador - Florida, and CPT Jon Howard - Utah.
By MAJ Donald L. Green -- December 22, 2007
One week ago our support command, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry of the 1st Brigade 101st Airborne, notified us that we would be receiving the newest vehicles in the Army's inventory - the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle or MRAP. This was a much unexpected surprise to us as we were not scheduled to receive the fielding for another three to six months.This news came on the heels of three very interesting days in the city where we were exposed to a few more interesting aspects of an enemy that seems to be running out of steam or at least a good portion of their tactical effect. I have to say that the soldiers of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry are doing the yeoman's share of taking the fight to the insurgents and keeping them on the run while providing safe passage to those who live and operate in Samarra. Together with the Combined Air Support CAS from helicopter units with call signs like Carnage and engineer route clearance teams from locations as far away as Balad and Tikrit, they leave no space for people of a malicious ilk to cause destruction within the city we all operate in.
Planned missions aside, we departed for Logistic Support Area (LSA) Anaconda, located in Balad Iraq, roughly two hours south of our Forward Operating Base (FOB) where we would spend the week receiving and training on our new equipment. The move south with all but four of our team members brought us once again to new places and the team was beginning to wonder if there would ever be a possibility of spending more than a few nights in the same location without picking up our belongings to move again. I have quite often compared the military lifestyle with that of a modern Gypsy or Bedouin, as soldiers we are consistently on the move to a different place or exciting new mission. In the twenty two years since I have left home I have never lived in one place longer than two years with exception of pursuing a degree at the beckoning of the army. Regardless, there is a great difference between the comfort of knowing where you will lay your head each night and the aspect of wondering what the future holds. Not everyone is a candidate for this lifestyle and frankly it takes a special type of person to deal with the fluctuation that accompanies it. I am honored to know so many who have.Our convoy to Balad took a little over two hours moving with over 20 other vehicles on Highway One, considered one of the most treacherous routes in country, stretching from Bagdad to Tikrit through the center of insurgent outlands. Insurgent activity has become even more prevalent in the outlying areas now that the people have started to take back the cities and Al-Qaeda Insurgents (AQI) have been forced out. Hit and run tactics are more common now and generally are more harassment to prevent the Coalition forces from spreading goodwill and security which has become our main mission. The convoy was uneventful and we were all ready to start the new fielding process but the preliminary paperwork and turn-in of our old vehicles would delay us for almost 24 hours, extending our time longer than we would have liked.
The MRAPs we received, was purchased in the initial bundle of 8,800 vehicles and we were lucky enough to be part of the initial fielding of 1,500 in the Iraqi Theater. The Department of Defense (DOD) has ordered another 3,126 with an intent of eventually having a 15,000 MRAPs fielded to all branches of service located in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Initial personnel receiving the MRAP were considered to be in areas where there was a higher probability of use and requirement for the protection; however, timing and missions also played a big portion of the decision at our level making our team available for the initial fielding and New Equipment Training (NET).We spent a total of four days going through a 40 hour block of NET, with BAE Systems representatives, learning the capabilities and limitations of these massive 20 ton vehicles. The instructors were extremely knowledgeable and did a great job at explaining the vehicles and pointed out the most important features that will assist in protecting us from the number one killer in Iraq, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The most interesting aspect of the vehicle is that from conception to manufacture and into the hands of the soldier took only eleven months, an extremely short time period among typical contracting efforts with military equipment.
Our instructor, Mr. Brandon Cox, is a former Marine and tank crew member and has been a part of all the Mine Resistant Vehicle fielding in one form or another for the last three years. He has worked extensively with Explosive and Ordinance Disposal (EOD) units and continues to provide input for the MRAP systems during their most recent endeavors. His keen insight into why things were built in a specific way was essential to our understanding of the new vehicle and created a true learning atmosphere that was quite refreshing for the team. All team members graduated the course successfully and were ready to use our new vehicle to increase our presence in Samarra. The trip back to FOB Brassfield-Mora was also uneventful with the exception of a quick stop to allow the mine clearing team to dispose of an IED placed near a bridge along our route. These types of enemy incursions are not rare but are becoming less meaningful with the quality soldiers that know the tactics of the enemy and dispose of their harassment with great efficiency. This brings up one final point for everyone to understand, these soldiers do this type of work day after day for up to 15 months with very little reward except the knowledge that on this particular day no one was killed on their watch. Most nights they will sleep wherever their head rests, vehicle or bed, and with some good coffee and warm food -- they get up and do it again. They do it not for themselves, but for the soldiers they protect and the Iraqi people who will go home at night to their families to face another day against the insurgency.Green, the son of Delbert and “Birdie” Johnson of Columbia City, is a 1985 graduate of Columbia City Joint High School, a 1995 Graduate of Central State University, Ohio, and a career Army Officer.
Comments
Thank you for posting my brothers letter from Iraq, Jennifer! I will continue to send them as soon as I receive them!
Posted by: Nicole Harris | December 30, 2007 06:56 PM
I'm here at Anaconda and wanted to say that things are going good here.It is good to see an article from someone else from C.C.I'm 28 years old and have been in the Army for a year and a half.Being here makes you really appreciate how great we have it.I couldn't imagine living the way that they do with IEDs on the roads and the buildings that they live in.Still even with that the children look very happy to see us when we drive through town bringing them candy and school supplies.Well C.C. I can't wait to come home to visit in June, see ya soon.
PFC Damien Stafford 2-320th FAR 101st AirBorne Div.
Posted by: PFC Damien Stafford | January 29, 2008 03:00 PM