Daily Afghan-Iraq Update/10-21

Dear Interested Reader,

Sustaining the fight: 704th BSB in action. eMitt 7-5 training under fire. Afghans work with CF to make improvements. ANP receive training on search, seizure techniques.

Iraq: IP improve shooting skills on FOB McHenry. New "Twin Schools" open for Taji students. AQI terror cell suspects arrested. Marines pass special skills to IA.

Joanna

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October 21, 2009

CJTF-82 in Afghanistan, Bagram Media Center

Sustaining the fight: 704th BSB in action

By U.S. Army Spc. Eugene Cushing

Army 1st Lt. Chris Fisher leads one of the plts tasked with escorting the local drivers. He explained that the 704 th BSB allows the maneuver bns to focus on their missions without having to worry about logistics.

KUNAR PROVINCE – Headlights of vehicles light up the early morning darkness at a remote base in Kunar prov. Soldiers stir while contemplating the difficult drive up a snake-like mountain road that connects Kunar to its outlying provs.

Before their missions, units like Fisher’s spend a majority of their time planning the mission, and figuring out the best way to protect the local drivers and their vehicles. “Different trucks require different kinds of security,” Fisher said. “This is where all the training we did at Fort Carson is really paying off,” he said.

According to Spc. Jalan Marshall, a gunner within the unit, it feels good to help fellow Soldiers directly involved in the fighting. “We all appreciate what they’re doing, and we’re glad to be able to help them,” he said.

While conducting these missions, units also see their own fair share of the battle. It’s here that they use their training to keep supplies moving and have a positive impact on the entire bde. “It’s not easy,” Fisher said, “but, it’s rewarding.”

Spc. Omar Angulo, a gunner assigned to HHC, 704th BSB, checks his weapons after finishing a convoy mission in Nuristan province, Sept. 29. Sgt. Patrick Stephens, also assigned to HHC, served as the truck cmdr for Angulo's truck. Angulo's unit was in charge of providing security for a convoy of supply trucks delivering supplies to outlying bases in eastern Afghanistan.

Army Soldiers assigned to the Co A, 704th, work to free a local truck after it ran off the road and became stuck in Kunar prov, Oct. 2.

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CJTF-82 in Afghanistan, Bagram Media Center

Embedded Training Team: Training Under Fire

By U.S. Army Sgt. Matthew C. Moeller

An ANA soldier braces himself against a wall while explosive rounds burst around him, during a gun battle with insurgent forces in a remote mountain village in Kunar prov, Korengal valley, Sept. 24. Marine Corps eMitt are responsible for training and mentoring the emerging Afghan military force serving in eastern Afghanistan.

KUNAR PROVINCE – The sun has barely risen over the Korengal valley, Sept. 24, and service members with eMiTT 7-5 are under fire. “Are you ready to run?” asks Marine Corps Capt. Michael Shanahan, before darting across an exposed pathway in the mountainside village of Lanayal, with an Anti Tank-4 rocket launcher in his hands, ready to be fired.

Shanahan is the senior officer in charge of eMiTT 7-5, a small team tasked with training and mentoring the emerging Afghan soldiers serving in the volatile valley. Today the training ends and the "practical exercise" begins. Off to the side, an ANA soldier fires his machine gun at the insurgents in the surrounding hillsides; his expelled cartridges litters the ground below. Above him, other ANA soldiers fire RPGs and AK-47 rifles, with eMiTT service members firing alongside.

An ETT Marine shouts a series of expletives as an explosion rocks the area near him. Fifteen minutes later, mortars fired from a nearby U.S. Army outpost, rain down on the insurgent positions, and the battle ends. The team and the ANA soldiers hike the mountain trail back home to the tiny Korengal Outpost, in Kunar prov.

With ISAF's plan to eventually turn all security ops over to the emerging ANA, eMiTTs across the country must transform their ANA counterparts from a rag-tag group of rebel fighters and farmers that helped overthrow the Taliban in 2001, into a modern military force capable of protecting its own borders and people.

The day after being attacked, a group of ANA soldiers sit together in the dark, windowless room, at the Korengal Outpost watching a presentation on effectively firing a machine gun. Several Afghan soldiers had problems loading and firing their U.S. military M-249 squad automatic weapon, which are being used by a select few Afghan soldiers. Shanahan and his troops want to make sure this doesn't happen again. “Where does this guy shoot first?” Shanahan asks, motioning to the graphic projected on the wall. The Afghans in the room look hesitant to respond. “None of you know the answer,” Shanahan says, grinning. Finally an Afghan soldier answers, and the eMiTTs in the room look impressed. “Let’s take a ten minute break and we’ll go outside,” Shanahan said.

Outside Cpl. Charles Kim is waiting. Like all the eMiTTs serving in the Korengal, Kim, a rifleman, volunteered to come to Afghanistan to train the ANA. In the month he's been here, Kim has seen more action than most service members will see during their entire tour. Kim admits that working with the ANA is "a lot different than patrolling with Marines or Soldiers." However, he states he would "definitely fight with them any day."

Today he plans on testing the ANA on what they just learned in the class by taking them to the outpost's small weapons range to practice using the M-249 SAW, one of several NATO weapons ISAF hopes will eventually replace the ANA's Soviet-era weaponry.

With steady patience, Kim, a fellow eMiTT corpsman, and Shanahan walk the Afghans through all the steps required to operate multiple machine guns as a team, using balloons as targets. “Overall they did pretty well considering it was their first time,” Kim says. “There's some room for improvement, but that's to be expected.”

Training like this is why ISAF puts so much hope in the eMiTTs. Four days later the ANA along with their eMiTT counterparts are back in the village of Lanayal.

The village is empty of adult males. The local elder is nervous, not wanting to talk and staying close to the wall, while looking to the mountains that surround the small gathering of homes. To the Afghan and U.S. service members, it appears the "practical exercise" is about to begin again.

An ANA Soldier fires a M249 squad automatic weapon during a fire fight.

An ANA Soldier fires an M-249 squad automatic weapon at the Korengal Outpost.

ANA Soldiers cram into a dark, windowless room, to watch a presentation by eMiTT 7-5 on properly firing an M249 squad automatic weapon.

Cpl. Charles Kim describes the proper coaching position while teaching ANA Soldiers how to fire an M-249 squad automatic weapon.

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CJTF-82 in Afghanistan, Bagram Media Center

Afghans work with CF to achieve development, security goals

KUNAR PROVINCE – A local Afghan civilian reported the location of a weapons cache, consisting of a RPG launcher and several rounds of ammo to U.S. Army Soldiers in Watapur district of Kunar Prov, Oct. 7. The local Afghan will receive a reward for identifying the location to the Soldiers.

That same day in the Pech district of the prov., shopkeepers and union leaders met with Kandigal base cmdr to discuss ways to boost the local economy. The village bazaar, which was the center of the discussion, provides revenue for more than 10 villages in the area. The base cmdr was eager to help with projects to include; trash cans and cleanup, solar lighting, cement sidewalks and awnings for shops.

LAGHAM PROVINCE – A security wall was built to protect a local children’s school from insurgents in the village of Mendrawol, Oct. 12. The wall, which was built by local contractors and workers, was funded through the Laghman govt. The wall will also provide protection from wind and dust storms as well as boost the local economy.

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CJTF-82 in Afghanistan, Bagram Media Center

ANP receive critical training on search, seizure techniques

Photos by Spc. William Henry

The Sayed Kheil district police chief talks to a Soldier attached to TF Cyclone, 1st Lt. Sam Drzewianowski, 1st Plt, Co B, STB, 82nd Abn Div, following traffic control and vehicle search procedure training in Parwan, Sept. 28.

1st Lt. Drzewianowski explains details of how set up and man traffic control points, and prepare to search individuals and vehicles in Sayed Kheil.

Spc. Salvador Rodriguez, a light wheeled mechanic, mans the hatch of a MRAP vehicle to secure an antenna during entry to an ANP compound in Sayed Kheil.

A class of ANP officers listens as Sgt. Justin Maddox explains how to set up and man a traffic control point, and prepare to search individuals and vehicles in Sayed Kheil.

Plt Sgts inspect their troops to show the ANP in the Kuh-e Safi district, during training on proper formations and mission readiness near Dandar village.

Sgt. Sam Bieber, an infantry squad leader, attached to TF Cyclone, 4th Plt, talks with Kuh-e Safi district policemen outside Dandar village during a vehicle check point training exercise in Parwan, Oct. 1.

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MNF-Iraq

Iraqi Police shooting skills on target

IP fire AK-47 rifles on the Bagara range on FOB McHenry, Oct. 8. A total of 278 IP officers fired on this range supported by the 3rd Plt, 218th MP Co.

FOB McHENRY — U.S. MP recently invited the Hawijah area IP to hone their skills during a 3-day marksmanship course. A total of 278 IP fired Automat Kalashnikova-47 rifles, also known as AK-47s, and Glock 9mm handguns.

"The great success of this range was that we were able to get all the ammo we needed from the Kirkuk Provincial IP HQ," said 2nd Lt. Megan Howell, plt leader. "This is some of the IPs' first time to fire on a range since the academy," said Howell. During the training, Capt. Falah, the district training officer, coached the IP through a series of commands on the firing line. He also coached them on their form and other aspects of basic marksmanship.

The plt has also helped coordinate other training events, including biometric data collection certifications, investigative officer training on evidence collection, witness statements, anticorruption and police intel ops.

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MNF-I

New ‘Twin Schools’ open for Taji students

By Pfc. Adam Halleck

Students of the Twin Schools wait for the official opening of the schools in Taji, Oct. 12. The Twin Schools will provide education to more than 1,200 children. (Photo by Pfc. Adam Halleck)

TAJI — In the past 2 years, this project experienced many hurdles, and it wasn't until the Soldiers of the 1st Bn, 82nd FAR, 1st BCT, 1st Cav Div assumed the project, that the schools had any hope of being open for the new school year.

When he walked to the podium to give his speech, Lt. Col. Eric Schwegler, beamed with pride. As the bn cmdr, Schwegler has played a large role in cultivating the progress of the Twin Schools project. "The children standing here are the future doctors, engrs, and leaders of Iraq," said Schwegler during his ceremony speech. "This project is a testament to the GoI, local leaders, and U.S. forces, in our shared vision for the future of Iraq."

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Multi-National Force – Iraq release

Iraqis arrest three AQI terror cell suspects

BAGHDAD — ISF arrested 3 suspected terrorists today during separate security ops in the Baghdad and Salah ad Din regions.

ISF, with U.S. advisors, arrested one individual while searching for the suspected leader of an AQI cell that planned IED attacks in Baghdad. While searching for the AQI leader, ISF apprehended an individual who was questioned on scene and determined to be a security threat. ISF arrested the suspected terrorist without incident.

During a separate security op, the 3rd General Directorate Salah ad Din Police Unit, with U.S. advisors, searched 2 buildings near Kawri, located approx 100 km north of Baghdad, for an ISI member suspected of staging suicide-vest attacks in the Duluiyah area. The security team searched 2 buildings during the op, and based on info gathered at the scene, arrested 2 suspected criminals.

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MNF-I

Marines pass special skills to Iraqi Army

By Lance Cpl. Jason Hernandez

An Iraqi Soldier carries a steal beam for practice during a welding course aboard Camp Mejid, Oct. 2.

CAMP MEJID — U.S. Marines and Sailors conducted training with IA Soldiers here to advance their skills in metal working and vehicle fuel systems. "We're giving the Iraqi mechanics lessons on how to better maintain and repair their vehicles," said Sgt. Nicholas Vincent, a quality control chief with Combat Logistics Bn 46. "Today, the focus will be fuel systems, where we'll take them through the entire fuel system of several vehicles."

The lessons included basics such as refueling certain vehicles and the paths and processes the fuel goes through inside a vehicle, as well as how to diagnose various problems inherent to fuel systems. "We want to help them understand these systems as thoroughly as possible," said Vincent. "They're going to need these skills after we leave. If we teach them well enough, they'll be able to pass on that knowledge."

The Marines of eMiTT-7 brought over members of CLB-46 along with an actual oxy-acetylene torch kit, compressed gases and steel beams to be cut. Together, the Marines and IA Soldiers operated the welding equipment and ironed out common errors Iraqi welders were making. "It's good that the Americans teach us what we need to know; it's important," said IA Cpl. Jasim, a tire and undercarriage specialist. "We're proud to be part of the process of bringing our country into a new era and beyond."

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troopscoop’s posterous

Daily Afghan-Iraq Update/10-21

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