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Combat Support Soldiers secure
Iraqi Police Station
Story by Pfc. Matthew McLaughlin
10th Mountain Division Public Affairs
CAMP LIBERTY, Baghdad -- A motley assembly of combat support
Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (Commandos), 10th Mountain
Division, earned their combat patches the 'hooah' way as they provided
security for 10 days at an Iraqi police station in support of the
democratic elections.
The Soldiers, many whom never left the confines of Camp
Liberty, were organized and trained days before the mission in an
attempt to have maximum boots on the ground during the elections, said
Master Sgt. Richard Porter, an operations sergeant from 2 BCT, who
trained the Soldiers.
A former drill sergeant and airborne and mountaineer
trainer, Porter brought the Soldiers up to speed on basic rifle
marksmanship, close quarter combat, and vehicle and body searches. The
Soldiers weren't ignorant to basic Soldier skills, but they were
definitely out of practice, he said.
"Soldiers lacked that type of training at that time,
such as searching vehicles and casualty evacuation," he said. "That's
simply because on a normal day on the job they don't deal with that.
They all had that training before, but they needed a refresher."
The Soldiers' diversity of military occupational
specialties ran the gamut from signal, personnel and staff judge
advocate. Porter said he was surprised and impressed with their
motivation.
"One signal Soldier told me it was his first time off
post on a mission," Porter said. "He told me he was excited. Everyone
was pretty motivated to get out and do it. I thought a lot of them
would think of it as being stuck on a detail."
For Spc. Louis Flynn, a terrain specialist attached to
2nd BCT from 100th Engineer Company out of Fort Bragg, N.C., the
experience of doing infantry-style work was well worth the hard work.
"It was more physically demanding than my regular job,
but it was also more satisfying," Flynn said. "Overall, it was a
positive experience. I feel fortunate to be able to take part in a
more hands on mission."
Flynn said he enjoyed the experience, but knew it was a
serious job with severe implications if the security team failed.
Iraqi police stations were considered likely targets during the
elections, and Flynn and other Soldiers could not be certain every
Iraqi around them was friendly. The station was also used as a staging
point for 2nd BCT operations in Iraq, which made the security even
more vital.
"The security of everyone in our compound relied
heavily on our alertness," Flynn said.
Some of the security detail members also participated
in foot patrols and provided outer cordon security during raids with
infantry Soldiers and Iraqi police detectives. This was a first time
experience for Flynn and many Soldiers from the security team.
We were "patrolling at night, moving stealthily along
the urban landscape of this nation's capital," Flynn said. It was "a
homogenous mixture of IPs and American Soldiers moving about, all
coming from different walks of life having only the soldiering bond to
keep us together."
Porter and Flynn both said they felt the Commando's
presence greatly diminished any possible attacks. Every possible
avenue of attack was guarded by Soldiers who only a week prior were
making maps, filing paperwork and connecting phone lines.
"Even when we were out there, other IP stations got
attacked," Porter said. "The way we presented ourselves may have
prevented an attack. Even if they thought they couldn't do it, I knew
they could. They brought different talents to the job. They did an
outstanding job."
Many Soldiers said they valued their time "outside the
wire" and felt proud to contribute to the success of the democratic
elections. Porter said it is something they will remember for the rest
of their military careers and their lives.
"It was an opportunity for them to tell war stories
they never could before," he said. "Now they can go home and talk to
their wives, their kids and other Soldiers and say 'I did that.' They
don't have to say they were on a base all year."
THIS STORY HAS ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPHS.
TO RECEIVE THE PHOTOS, E-MAIL THE CPIC PRESS DESK AT CPICPRESSDESK@BAGHDADFORUM.COM.
For more information, please contact LT. COL. James hutton, 1st
CAVALRY DIVISION PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, AT JAMES.HUTTON@US.ARMY.MIL OR
MSG DAVID LARSEN AT
DAVID.J.LARSEN@US.ARMY.MIL
Release #A050210c |
