The Hawk Eye March 7, 2005
224th commander tells challenges
Though two of his men died and three were wounded in recent attack, the mission goes on
By Kiley Miller
Death has claimed two of his soldiers, but Cpt. Jason Wisehart cannot allow himself time to grieve.
Wisehart commands Company A, 224th Engineer Battalion of the Iowa National Guard, which lost a platoon leader and a young enlisted soldier when a homemade bomb detonated Feb. 27 along a road in Iraq.
Second Lt. Brian Gienau, 29, died at the scene of the blast. Spc. Seth Garceau, 22, was removed from life-support early Friday morning and died three hours later.
Three other soldiers were wounded by the bomb that destroyed an armored Humvee. Among them was Justin Edgington of West Burlington.
The 224th conducted a memorial service Friday to honor Gienau. Lt. Col. Todd Jacobus, the battalion commander, called the young officer a "key leader with a bright smile, a quick wit and a can-do attitude."
Wisehart must now find the inner strength to rally the remaining soldiers in his Burlington-based company, who face many more months in Iraq.
"As a company commander, no matter how bad the pain is and how bad you feel for the soldiers' families and friends, you must be strong in front of your soldiers," Wisehart said Monday in an e-mail. "... They must see that you are strong and not torn apart by the loss."
Army leaders have two primary objectives: Accomplishment of the mission and welfare of the troops, in that order. In short, the mission comes first.
"In my opinion, this does not change the way I lead, or train and teach soldiers," Wisehart said. "You are never truly prepared for an event like this, but, at the same time, your autopilot kicks in and all the training that you have received allows you to continue the mission."
Roadside bombs have emerged as the biggest threat to coalition soldiers in Iraq since President George W. Bush declared the end of active hostilities more than 18 months ago.
Soldiers and Marines are now taught to identify Improvised Explosive Devices disguised in trash, animal carcasses, concrete blocks or countless other places.
According to an article posted on the military affairs Web site www.GlobalSecurity.org, each device is unique, but all contain five essentials: a fuse, detonator, explosive fill, power for the detonator and some type of container. Many are set off from a distance by cell phone, pager or toy remote.
Wisehart said his soldiers have drilled since April on the appropriate reaction to IEDs.
"Obviously, once you are in a wartime environment the tactics, techniques and procedures have to change and adapt as the enemy does," the commander said. "We still revert back to the basics that we learned during our annual training and the training we received at our mobilization station. These are our building blocks and we continue to add blocks each and every day."
Gienau was commander of a convoy traveling between Karbala and Ramadi when his Humvee was hit.
Wisehart could not detail the tactics soldiers in a convoy employ after an explosion.
"In general terms, we do provide security and look for the enemy who either set it up or has initiated it," Wisehart said.
If possible, wounded soldiers are transported in another vehicle to a medical clinic. Otherwise, an evacuation helicopter is called.
Casualties are taken to the nearest clinic that "provides the greatest medical support," Wisehart said.
Wisehart believes coalition forces are advancing in the war against homemade bombs. He said many of the weapons are found before they explode.
"Soldiers and Marines are doing an outstanding job over here and making this country a safer place than it ever has been," Wisehart said.
© Copyright 2005, The Hawk Eye
