Task Force 2-7 IN Newsletters
ABLE 6 Sends (Nov 07):
Hello again from Western Anbar Province where Task Force 2-7 has been operating for the past two months. We are firmly established here now and enjoying the nearly ideal temperatures – with highs in the 70s most days and lows in the 50s at night. This is arguably the best time of year in Iraq and we realize the cold, rainy season will likely begin in less than a month. November is “Month 10” of our 15-month deployment, so we’re quite pleased to be able to say we’re two-thirds of the way through now! We’re also approaching the point where every member of the Task Force will have taken their R&R leave – another significant milestone!
October was a busy month for the Task Force. After getting settled in our new surroundings during September, we began working closely with our Iraqi partners in several key areas. In addition to keeping our Soldiers the Iraqi population safe, our three main objectives have been to improve the capability of the local government, make the local Iraqi Police force more professional, and better integrate the Iraqi Highway Patrol into securing the miles and miles of highways that pass through our sector. We’ve taken positive steps toward each of these objectives through close partnership, hard work, and most of all…patience.
Team Easy (E Company Headquarters, two engineer platoons, two infantry platoons, and the task force mortar platoon), working in the city of Rutbah with support from our Civil Affairs team, Police Transition Team, and non-lethal effects cell, significantly improved the capability of the local government. Most notably, they helped the people of Rutbah find, screen, and nominate a candidate for Mayor to the Provincial Government. Their new mayor served 23 years in the Iraqi Army as a helicopter pilot and had a strong desire to serve his city. Most of all, he enjoys the respect of the population and has a remarkable work ethic. He is a tremendous example of selfless, honorable service – two qualities that are often hard to come by here in Iraq. Even better, the new mayor is a personal friend of the Anbar Provincial Governor, so we hope to be able to take advantage of that relationship as well. As a small city 250 miles from the Provincial capitol in Ramadi, Rutbah needs all the help it can get.
We’ve also been working closely to develop the Rutbah District Council and a municipal staff to manage the city’s infrastructure, budget, and plan for the future. We have helped them establish a weekly rhythm of meetings and events which are designed to help various groups and subcommittees identify and discuss their own problems and make appropriate recommendations to the City Council and Mayor. It’s a slow process, but it’s starting to take hold and they are starting to make the process their own – which is absolutely what we want. We had our first Women’s Engagement Program here in Rutbah last month and were pleased to have 70 Iraqi women attend. They were interested in our ideas to establish a women’s union building and were excited to receive our “gift bags” filled with items many of you have been sending. We’ve been partnering very closely with our local police force and continue to coach integrity, discipline, and fair treatment for all. The Rutbah courthouse is fully-functional and just successfully submitted its first felony case to the Provincial Court in Ramadi – a key milestone in developing our local rule of law.
Team Rage (A Company headquarters, one infantry platoon, and the task force scout platoon), basing out of Camp Korean Village, conducted multiple patrols well off the main roads to engage with what we call our “desert population.” Their efforts to help us understand the concerns of this element of our population have been critical. As I mentioned last month, most of the insurgents have been forced to seek refuge in the remote regions of the desert since Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces have made it very difficult for them to move freely in the cities. Team Rage set the conditions for the “Confederation of Western Anbar Tribal Leaders” which we hope to establish before month’s end to help us secure the vast desert regions of our sector with concerned local Iraqis – our attempt at a desert “neighborhood watch.”
Tm Rage poses with some children during one of their patrols in the remote desert regions.
Team Deathrider (Delta Company Headquarters, two armor platoons, and one infantry platoon) was charged with establishing yet another remote company-sized combat outpost (COP) in an area which hadn’t had any pervious Coalition Force presence. COP Abrams is nearly a 3-hour drive from our task force headquarters and was established inside an Iraqi water pumping station. This COP Abrams now serves as their forward company headquarters as well as an Iraqi Highway Patrol (IHP) station. Deathrider’s ability to carve out an existence at this remote facility and establish basic life support there went a long way towards getting the IHP to get out of Ramadi and join us there. Later this month, we hope to “jump” a portion of Team Deathrider to an identical water pumping station facility further west along the highway and “pull” another contingent from the IHP out to join us. We feel the total immersion achieved by living and working together at a remote site to be the best way to bring the Iraqis along as quickly as possible.
Iraqi Highway Patrol Trucks inside of COP Abrams as they build their forward presence
Team Bushmaster (Bravo Company Headquarters, two infantry platoons, and one armor platoon) was also challenged last month to establish a remote, company-sized COP in an area with no recent Coalition presence. They occupied an Iraqi train station in the small town of Akashat with a surrounding population of about 5,000 Iraqis. In just 10 days, they turned the train station into a suitable forward headquarters over 100 kilometers from our main camp. Since the train station does get occasional use, Bushmaster has been very careful to minimize their impact on the facility in order to allow us to return it to complete Iraqi control with ease. Bushmaster also partners closely with the small Iraqi Police force of about 80 Iraqi Policemen in Akashat. Team Bushmaster also conducted several multi-day missions in the desert to disrupt insurgent activity and search for weapons caches. These mission give our platoons and companies a unique opportunity to conduct extended tactical operations in an austere environment.
Tm Bushmaster receives fuel from a Marine CH-53 helicopter at a remote desert location on 19 October.
Team Headhunter (Headquarters Company) is the glue that holds the task force together by providing the key personnel who man the task force headquarters and our forward and main aid stations. They also have “mayoral” responsibilities here on Camp Korean Village and deal directly with the many civilian contractors and third-country nationals who keep the camp running. With a large transient population, the camp supports anywhere from 1000-1250 personnel a day with less than 500 of them being Cottonbaler Soldiers. With work orders, billeting requirements, work details, and camp security, Team Headhunter stays busy.
Team Warrior (Forward Support Company) keeps us all rolling along with tremendous logistics support. As I’ve described, the distance between our camps and COPs is considerable so some element of Warrior Company is on the road delivering crucial supplies to someone every single day. By the end of this month – our third month in the new sector – they will have logged as many miles as much as they did during the first 7 months in Hit. In addition to supporting the Task Force, Warrior Company provides logistic support to the Marines at the Ports of Entry from both Jordan and Syria as well. We could not do what we do without the great men and women of Warrior Company and remain thankful they are part of our team.
As I forecasted in last month’s newsletter, we shuffled some platoons and companies around in sector at the end of October. Though the moves did require some effort and did not occur without some “pain,” everyone is relatively settled and comfortable in their new locations now. Just like a PCS move, you can always find some things you like better about the new place! These moves help reduce boredom and complacency and provide an opportunity for our Soldiers and leaders to exchange ideas and adapt to new surroundings.
Team Easy and Team Rage switched sectors with Team Easy now residing on Camp Korean Village and assuming responsibility for our desert population southwest of the camp and Team Rage taking over the city of Rutbah. Teams Bushmaster and Deathrider remained in their same sectors but both received new commanders on 3 November with CPT Dan Fitch relinquishing command to CPT Tony Wrice and CPT Thom Frohnhoefer relinquishing command to CPT Matt Marfongelli. Though all our company changes of command are now complete, we’ll conduct at least one more shuffling of select platoons sometime after the New Year.
CPT Dan Fitch (above) and CPT Thom Frohnhoefer (below) each pass their
company guidon to LTC Crissman at their joint change of command ceremony
on 3 November
CSM Coston and I were able to make a trip to Ramadi recently and spent some time with our Charlie Company which has been attached to TF 3-69 AR for the entire deployment. As always, spirits in Steel Company were high and they were adjusting to another change of mission as other Army units in the Ramadi area continue to redeploy as scheduled. While in Ramadi, we were fortunate to be able to witness one of our own, CPT Jonas Anazagasty, assume command of HHC/3-69 AR and be present for the promotions of CPTs John Busa and Martin Ojeda to Major and MSG Hernandez to Sergeant Major. Congratulations to all!
COL Charlton promotes MSG Hernandez to SGM
Soldiers of the Task Force continue to demonstrate their patriotism and sense of duty by reenlisting for additional service to the Nation. After exceeding our reenlistment goals for FY 07, we’re already well on our way towards meeting our FY 08 mission. As of this writing, we have 10 Soldiers from the Task Force who will fly to Baghdad on 21 November for a special reenlistment ceremony with General Petraeus, the Commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq in honor of the 3rd Infantry Division’s Birthday.
LTG Odierno, Commander of Multi-National Corps-Iraq, reenlists SSG Fennell, SPC Adams, and PFC Guhlke on 27 October
As always, we appreciate the tremendous support we receive from both the Rear Detachment, led by CPT Neil Johnson, SFC Frank Miller, and the Cottonbaler Family Readiness Group. We appreciated the constant flow of letters, cards, care packages, and all the other “surprises” you’ve been sending our way! Thanks to all the true heroes who selflessly volunteer their time to take care of our Soldiers!
Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. With two thirds of our tour behind us, before you know it, we’ll be saying “Happy New Year” and counting down our final 100 days in Iraq.
Until next time....
LTC Doug Crissman...Able 6
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