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Three Iraqi Guerrillas Killed in Raids
By PAUL GARWOOD
Associated Press Writer
TIKRIT, Iraq (AP)--U.S. soldiers killed three members of a suspected guerrilla cell linked to the former Baathist regime during raids Tuesday in a central Iraqi town, the Army said.
Master Sgt. Robert Cargie, spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division, said the men, all Iraqis, belonged to an organization called Muhammad's Army and were killed in Beiji, a town north of Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.
Soldiers from the U.S. 3rd Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment were conducting simultaneous raids on four Beiji locations when a firefight erupted at one site, Cargie said. There were no U.S. casualties. Among the Iraqis killed was one man the soldiers had specifically targeted, Cargie said, adding that another five people _ including three other targets--were captured during the raids.
Muhammad's Army appears to be an umbrella group for former Iraqi intelligence agents, army and security officials, and Baath Party members, U.S. officials say. It has been linked to several attacks against coalition forces.
U.S. forces arrested three men believed Muhammad's Army leaders in December.
Meanwhile, Cargie said U.S. soldiers on Monday captured an Iraqi man suspected of storing weapons, including the homemade bomb that detonated Saturday outside the Samarra city council, north of Baghdad, killing four Iraqi civilians and wounding about 40 people. Among the wounded were seven American soldiers who suffered minor injuries caused by flying glass.
Later Monday, American troops arrested nine suspected members of Saddam's Fedayeen without incident during raids on 12 locations in Abu Ajeel, a town 12 kilometers (eight miles) southeast of Baqouba.
Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers conducted their own raid Monday on a home east of Beiji and arrested an Iraqi man suspected of involvement in anti-coalition activities. The ICDC forces also confiscated seven AK-47 automatic weapons and mortar rounds.
AP-NY-01-27-04 0907EST
Copyright 2004, The Associated Press.
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Big Game Set for Task Force Ironhorse Resort
By U.S. Army Spc. Andrew Loveless & Spc. Benjamin Kibbey / 367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE IRONHORSE, TIKRIT, Iraq, Jan. 27, 2004 - The Task Force Ironhorse Resort is bringing the biggest sporting event of the year to the big screen.
Super Bowl XXXVIII will be shown live at 2:25 a.m., Feb. 2 on “the biggest screen in Tikrit - the theatre,” said Sgt. 1st Class Celeste Proctor, the resort’s event coordinator.
The game, featuring the AFC champion New England Patriots and NFC champion Carolina Panthers, will also be rebroadcast at 7 p.m. that night.
Until then there is plenty of time for speculation about the game’s outcome.
“The Patriots will win. They have a better defense. Carolina got in on luck,” said 1st Lt. Jacob Jeffers, assistant personnel officer with 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery, and a Parisburg, Va. native.
Spc. Nick Krugler, a senior scout observer with the 173rd Airborne Brigade disagreed. “I like Carolina,” he said. “They’re all heart. They’re really playing hard.”
The only thing the soldiers may agree on is that there will be plenty of food. The Ironhorse Desert Cafe, which serves cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and fries in the resort’s lobby from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily, will keep the grill on later to serve food before the kickoff.
The café is also trying to get hot wings, chips and dip in addition to its normal fare, all at no charge, Proctor said.
During the game, soldiers won’t have to go very far for more refreshments either.
“We will take stuff from the sports bar upstairs so that soldiers won’t have to go downstairs during the game,” said Sgt. Maj. Mike Anastasio, the nuclear, biological and chemical sergeant major for the 4th Infantry Division.
Soldiers can take more away from the game other than a full stomach. Drawings for door prizes will be held every quarter, featuring items from the local bazaar and merchandise donated by civilian companies and other organizations on post, according to Anastasio, who lives in Copperas Cove, Texas.
Until the food is served and prizes drawn, the debate over Super Bowl Monday continues.
“(It’s) definitely New England.” said Pfc. Thomas Tennesen, a medic with 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment. “They keep on winning so I figure they can’t lose.”
(Spc. Andrew Loveless and Spc. Benjamin Kibbey are members of the 367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, a reserve unit from Columbus, Ohio. They are currently deployed to Southwest Asia with the 4thInfantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom)
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Some Iraqis get hazardous duty pay
By Spc. Bronwyn M. Meyer
January 26, 2004 TIKRIT, Iraq (Army News Service, Jan. 26, 2004) - Iraqi Civil Defense Corps troops who have been working with Coalition forces are enjoying the benefits of incentive pay.
Like their American counterparts, ICDC members have begun receiving hazardous duty pay, in addition to their base pay, said Staff Sgt. Laura Blunt of the 418th Civil Affairs Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas.
Separate from the Iraqi police and the new Iraqi Army, ICDC is a Coalition-trained element that is responsible for maintaining civil order in cities such as Tikrit.
The hazardous duty pay took effect Jan. 1. The Iraqi soldiers are now receiving hazardous pay in lieu of a substance allowance.
Like most military units, the ICDC pay structure is based on rank. The lowest enlisted Iraqi soldier, a private first class, receives $130 a month. In the officer ranks, a second lieutenant receives $180 per month, which is a handsome sum in Iraq's lagging economy, said Blunt.
"(The) ICDC and Iraqi police are the best gigs in town right now," she said.
The promise of a paying job has many Iraqis clamoring for a spot in the ICDC basic training course.
"More people want to join. At every recruiting class we have 600 guys showing up for 150 spots," Blunt said. "They want to do it, they take pride in it, and it's a good job. They get great training."
The 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment has graduated five classes of ICDC soldiers, and has one of the largest ICDC forces in the 1st Brigade Combat Team. The rigorous three-week basic training includes physical training, weapons familiarization and troop movement, said Spc. Marcus Gordon, a Willingboro, N.J. native, and ICDC instructor with A Company, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Rgt.
After graduating, ICDC soldiers now have a chance for promotion in the new army. The ranks of ICDC soldiers are from private first class to lieutenant colonel, although there are not that many officers.
Soldiers must show leadership ability and initiative in order to be promoted, said Staff Sgt. James Loehr, a native of Platte City, Mo., from 418th Civil Affairs Bn. Promotions are based on the soldier's performance, Loehr said.
Candidates must complete an application, health exam and basic training to join. Once the soldiers have graduated they are able to go on missions with Coalition forces.
As time goes on the ICDC soldiers are coming into their own as a partner with Coalition forces.
"It's their country, so they need to stand up," said Gordon. "Now that Saddam is gone, we are putting them on the right path."
(Editor's note: Spc. Bronwyn M. Meyer is a member of the 367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, an Army Reserve unit from Columbus, Ohio.)
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>From Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A color casing ceremony is where the colors (flags) of the units are ceremoniously rolled around their flag pole, covered with a canvas cover, and prepared for movement to another duty station. 4ID had the same ceremony at Fort Hood last March.
Soldiers receive colorful send-off
By Chris Vaughn
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT HOOD - On a field flooded with military pageantry, the 1st Cavalry Division ceremonially ended its stay at Fort Hood on Tuesday afternoon by casing its colors and preparing them for an unveiling in Baghdad in about two months.
The 90-minute ceremony, including a parade and a 19th-century-style cavalry charge on horses, marked the beginning of the division's deployment to Iraq, where it is due to formally replace the 1st Armored Division (1st Infantry Division will replace 4ID) in the Iraqi capital in April. About 3,000 soldiers from the 2nd Brigade are already in Kuwait, awaiting the rest of the division.
"There will be hundreds of flights out of here in the coming weeks," said Lt. Col. James Hutton, the division's public affairs officer.
About 17,000 soldiers wear the distinctive yellow-and-black patch of the 1st Cavalry, making it one of the largest combat divisions in the Army. For this deployment, the division will be joined by the 39th Enhanced Separate Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard, which also took part in Tuesday's ceremony.
The III Corps headquarters staff will also go to Iraq. Its commander, Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz, will replace Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez as the Army's senior commander. For a few weeks until the 4th Infantry Division begins returning in March and April, the giant base is likely to look all but empty.
The division's equipment is steadily moving out of Fort Hood on rail cars, but the 1st Cav is making history for what it is not taking many of -- tanks, the machinery that makes the 1st Cav the heaviest division in the Army's arsenal. Instead, the division is moving Bradley Fighting Vehicles and every armored Humvee it owns, a testament to its new largely peacekeeping role.
"We will be the first armored division deployed as a light cavalry division," said Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the division's newest commanding officer.............
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59 Years Ago Today - 4ID in Luxembourg and Germany:
28 January 1945 - D+237
The 8th Infantry Regiment began movement from assembly areas at 1200. The 1st Battalion closed in the vicinity of Alster by 2400, the 2nd Battalion in Maspelt and in the interim relieved the 3rd Battalion of the 347th Regiment (87th Infantry Division). The 3rd Battalion did not close until shortly after midnight.
The 12th Infantry initiated movement at 1300 to relieve the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 347th Infantry Regiment in the vicinity of Burg Reuland. The 1st Battalion closed at 1045. The 2nd Battalion remained in the vicinity of Monnet. The 3rd Battalion closed in the vicinity of Bracht. Patrols were immediately sent forward.
The 22nd Infantry began movement from its assembly areas in the vicinity of Larochette early in the period. By 2215, the Combat Team had closed in the vicinity of Hautbellain.
Thanks to Philippe Cornil at www.revive-it.com.
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What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) Several e-mails that I have read lately prompt me to share a few thoughts. First, "thank you" to the soldier who enlightened us as to the difficulties and challenges faced by single soldiers returning from deployment who may not have family in the area. My son is single, and I have every intention of meeting him when he gets off the airplane at Ft Hood, but I will now make sure that I am there to support his buddies who may be single too, in any way possible. I have already started making some goodie boxes to pass out upon their arrival. And I will serve as a taxi for any who may need a ride somewhere. Secondly, to the mom whose son lost his leg, and other wounded soldiers... you will always be in my thoughts and prayers, as you all have made such temendous sacrifices. Lastly, let us not forget how painful it will be for those who have lost loved ones. When our soldier gets off the plane, theirs won't be. Please remember to give them the extra support that I am certain they will need during this difficult time. I think this is when reality will really set in. Every soldier wounded and every soldier lost, is a painful reminder of the price we pay for freedom. They will forever be in my thoughts and prayers. (A retired Marine and a proud mom of an Army soldier).
2) I have been very lucky lately. I have been able to talk with my husband (HHC/2-8 IN) through IM almost every morning for the last week and then got a wake up call from him on Sat. morning. I was really nice to actually hear his voice again after not hearing from him in over a month. We are both counting down the days until he is home again. But before that happens unfortunately I will be saying good-bye to one of our good friends who just PCS here to Ft Hood, with 1st CAV and will be leaving shortly. They found a house near ours so that his wife is close to us, so if she needs anything we are right there.
3) We have a son-in-law flying back from Iraq for treatment of Leishmanisis and I am so glad that he is being treated. He is a tough soldier and has been ill with this for at least 3 months. He has a rash that I was concerned about when he came home on R&R in October but was bound and determined to go back and do his time. He is afraid he won't be able to return after treatment so he can return back to the states with his unit. Of course being a mother I hope he does not have to go back but I do understand his feelings. All Americans should be very proud of all of our soldiers. We may not agree with the reasoning for this war but our troops have made me very proud. When I hear that song by Toby Keith "American Soldier" my eyes tear-up because it is so true!!! Please keep him and our daughter in your prayers (she has traveled to Walter Reed to be with him) for a quick recovery and no lasting effects. Thanks so much for allowing us proud families to express our feelings!
4) I'm a mother of an Army PFC with the 44 Chem Co. in Iraq. I want to thank the wife of the medical platoon Sgt. for thinking about parents of single soldiers. Sometimes I feel like we are at a disadvantage not being close to our son's duty station. The first month he was gone was one of the hardest. He had gotten to his first duty station, Ft. Hood in March after basic & AIT training at Ft. Jackson; three weeks later he was on a plane to Kuwait. He really had no time to settle into an Army life, or know much to prepare his family for the year he would be gone. After not hearing from him or anyone else the first month he was gone, I called Ft. Hood. 44th Chem Co. who took my phone number and told me someone would be in touch. An hour later the FRG Leader was calling me at work. The soldier I spoke to even called me the next day to be sure I made a connection. The FRG leader became our link to our soldier. She was wonderful! She answered any questions I had via e-mail. She was very encouraging to a mother of a teenage soldier. Then came a change in command and a new FRG Leader picked up with no interuptions. Now she is our link to our soldier and is wonderful too. Her husband, the commander, emails a weekly update to the families to let us know what our soldiers have been up to. This has been great! I am so encouraged to know how the Army looks after their "Army
Families". Thanks to ALL who keep us connected, that means you too Bob!
5) I talked to my fiance yesterday over the internet. He's with B Co 1/8 IN in Samarra. He sounded really good but said things are slow and boring. He told me to stop sending packages because he didn't know if he'd ever see them, but I told him he still had a couple on the way. ..... Also, in the Feb. 2 issue of Newsweek Magazine there is an article about 1/8 in Samarra. Just thought some of you who are keeping scrapbooks might want that. I know everyone is getting anxious for the return of these great people, but lets not forget all those that are just arriving there. They need our support just as much as the ones coming home.
6) Our son is with 1-22 Infantry A Company. We received our first picture of him last week in the mail. This is the first we've seen his face in about a year. About the same time his company finally was able to start using email and so we have been keeping in contact with him more often. Just being able to email seems like he is so much closer to home. Seeing his picture, being able to email, and hearing more and more about redeployment is just about more than we can take. As his time grows shorter I almost think it is more stressful, but is is certainly exciting! One hint I would like to add to anyone who is deploying is to take along a credit card. Our son was able to buy telephone minutes over the internet but needed a credit card to do it.
7) I wanted to share a couple of notes I received from my 588th ENGR medic over the last few days. On the 22nd he emailed me that "two of my friends were killed and another lost his leg from a mortar wound. Lewis is alive and doing well, I got a tourniquet on his leg. He lost his leg but is alive and will be able to go home to his wife and family. It was very sad to lose two more friends, really close ones." I emailed him the update from Proud Army Mom and I heard from him again today "That was Lewis' Mom because Reed was in his convoy, and if he hadn't done what he did, then Lewis would have lost too much blood, Everyone has been down since that day, they were all friends of everyone" He went on to say he was glad to hear that Lewis was on his way to the states. I just wanted Proud Army Mom to know that Lewis has had lots of prayers from the medics and medics families and we are all glad to hear of his strong voice and that he is upbeat. He will remain in our thoughts and prayers. We are also praying for the families of the young men who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Thank you Bob for these updates, it really helped my medic to know that he made a difference in one soldiers life and that Lewis is on the road to recovery with a supportive family to lean on.
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Families Share R&R Moments:
1) My husband is a 4ID Chaplain who was fortunate to be able to return home last week on R &R. The reunioun was made even more special as our oldest son, an Old Guard soldier who has the great honor of guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier in Arlington Cemetary was also able to come home for a week to see his dad. Due to a Korean tour just prior to being deployed to Iraq, and Army training, the two had not seen each other for a year and a half. Our youngest child has not left Dad's side except to (reluctantly) attend third grade. An added blessing several days into my husband's visit- a call from Iraq telling my spouse he was on the promotion list. We are so blessed and continue to pray for our soldiers and their families.
2) Hi Bob!! Never did I imagine being one who sent in an R&R story. My boyfriend went back to Iraq on Saturday. He had only a week, with the bad weather his flight was delayed many times. But he didn't seem to mind, he was home and was going to take advantage of it. I only got to spend one day with him, we live two hours apart, but that was a wonderful day. All I can say is that my cell phone bill is going to be through the roof this month. We would stay up talking till 4 am. It made me laugh because he was always going out to eat, even at 3 am he was headed to Taco Cabana for some fajita tacos. We didn't talk too much about "Iraq" while he was here, we talked a lot about our future together and, who knows, I might one day be a military wife. I did get to see lots of pictures, some looked like they came out of an action movie but others that made me laugh and remember that they are miles and miles away yet they can still have fun. What made me laugh was he needed a hair cut but he said, "I'll just wait till I go back, I could cut my hair 8 times in Iraq with what I pay here for one." He only pays $1. Well, this time around it wasn't as hard to let him go, knowing that he will be home soon is what kept this little girl from breaking down in tears. Can't wait for all the 4ID to come home!!! Love an HHC 1-22 girlfriend!
3) Unlike other R&R stories, I got to surprise my brother/soldier, B Co 244th EN BN. I live in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Colorado. He knew I was coming to see him, but what he did not know was that I was bringing his favorite sandwich. He loves cheesesteak sandwiches from a local restaurant here in Lincoln. I talked to the manager and worked out a way to have them package it so it would survive the 8 hour train trip to Colorado. The night of my arrival, our family was deciding what to eat and he mentions the sandwich. I smiled and pulled out the empty restaurant bag. He opened it and inhaled. He was so happy. I then pulled out the napkins, he smiled. I then told him I had the sandwich to match the bag and napkins, he said "Eeeeeuuuuggggghhhhh!" He thought I had brought a made up sandwich. I then pulled out all the fixings for the sandwich. His jaw about hit the floor. He fixed it up and ate the WHOLE 18 inches of sandwich. He then sat on the couch and moaned, he was so very full. I have 3 pictures of him eating the sandwich. They are very special and framed and on my wall.
4) Everyone at work pages me for something or another. And I knew that the day was getting close for him to show up (he wanted to surprise me). The last couple of days I have been a wreck and when I get paged and I get to the front I tell the checker, please, next time you page me, please say at the end of your page "AND IT'S NOT YOUR SON" and they are like, "oh okay, we understand." So today I am in the back of the store and Darvina pages me and I looked up and Sarah was passing by me and I said to her, "I told them to add, and it's not your son" and Sarah looked at me and said, "you're a mess, you should just go home." And I said, "I know, I can't sleep or anything - I just want him home." So I went on doing what I was doing and then they paged me again, first and last name, like when you're a child and you're in trouble, so I started up to the front. Then my boss paged me and I knew that it was important and I knew it must be him. When I got to the front there was not one checker checking, not one machine beeping, and this is a busy grocery store. It was just really quiet, everyone was staring at me and there was my handsome son in his Desert camo's, fresh off the plane, and I just hugged him and sobbed. He said he promised himself he wasn't going to cry either, but my sobs must have gotten to him. We had customer's crying, old and young, men and women. It was so wonderful to see him and hug him. My boss grabbed my purse and pushed me out the door. I have dreamed about this moment for almost a year and it was every bit as great and more than I had been dreaming about. I don't know if the tears I am crying now are tears of relief or joy or what, but I can tell you the relief of not having to worry about him for 2 weeks will be great. He looks a little more mature, but is still my boy. Thank you all for the constant support. (No unit given)
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Redeployment Tips
1) From the mother of an 82nd Airborne Division soldier: My advice to those parents of young soldiers who have to travel to come to Ft Hood or Ft Carson etc to greet their soldiers is to try and be patient and flexible. It is difficult to plan and make arrangements for the trip because of the nature of the flights. They give you a window but it may change and likely will. I am far more anxious now than I was when he left and I heard another mother in today's update say the same thing.
2) Get your house in order. My soldier told me none of those things mattered to him and not to kill myself cleaning and organizing before he got home...but guess what --THEY DID MATTER! Within seven days, the "honeymoon was over," and he began moving things around, sorting through what to keep or toss, and complaining about the clutter in the garage. I wanted to kick myself for believing he would just be happy to be home. Have a garage sale, solicit help from friends, or splurge on a cleaning service, but for goodness sake -- GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER! :) The extra work or expense will be well worth it and save you many arguments in the long run.
3) Bob, I would like to address a problem that so far I have not seen in your redeployment updates. I keep reading about "Redeployment Day", BUT SORRY, it is not a day but a period of TIME. With so many troops coming home it will take several weeks to complete this mission. I would strongly recommend to the wives, mothers, and other family members waiting for their soldiers to come home to keep this in mind - "the first to leave is not always the first to come home." There are other factors that figure into the equation, such as the importance of their jobs or having a turtle (replacement) to train and take over their position. Do not get upset when you see a person that left after your soldier come home weeks before yours. This is the Military. This is Life. Just stay strong and remember soon it will be your time to rejoice and welcome your soldier home. Been there done that.
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