Cavalry regiment honors fallen trooper

By Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – “It seems unfair for a man who had not served even a year in the Army to be taken from us, but it’s young men who die in war,” said Capt. Danny Wilson, chaplain, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.
His words hung over the crowd assembled to mourn the death of Pfc. Thomas Hewett Oct. 21 at Camp Striker.
Hewett, who served with Troop B, 1st Sqdn., 89th Cav. Regt., died Oct. 13 of wounds suffered in an improvised-explosive device attack Sept. 21.
“Thomas had a family back home. … He loved his family more than anything, more than his own life,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Bobulis, Troop B, from Brockton, Mass. “He wouldn’t want us to cry, be sad or feel sorry for him.”
Hewett enlisted in the Army in 2005 and was assigned to Troop B in January. The Soldiers of his troop remember his sense of humor.
“He was always quick with a smart remark or a smirk,” said Pfc. Jonathan Williams, a native of Mount Pleasant, Texas, who met Hewett while inprocessing at Fort Drum.
He recalled a time when Hewett, sleepy, went into the laundry room instead of his barracks room and crawled up onto his “bunk dryer.”
“He looked so peaceful there, none of us bothered to wake him,” Williams said.
Hewett was also described as an excellent Soldier.
“Thomas was a great (Soldier),” said Sgt. Bryan Dunaway, a Troop B section sergeant. “He never complained, and he went out of his way to make things better. That’s all you can ask of a Soldier.”
Hewett’s only difficulty was with running, his troop mates said.
“We carried him more than he ran,” Williams joked. “But he’s running like the wind now, by God. … I want to say thanks to Hewett for being a small part of my life and a large part of my heart.”
“He will be remembered as a good father to his son, a good husband to his wife and a good Soldier,” added Wilson.
The legendary resting place of cavalry troopers was mentioned only once at the memorial.
“Do me one last favor,” asked Bobulis, overwhelmed by his emotions. “Mark the way to Fiddler’s Green.”

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Washington Post reporter embeds with 2nd BCT

To see Josh White's stories about the 2nd BCT click on the following links ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301212.html


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102401165.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/28/AR2006102800675.html?referrer=email

Cavalry regiment pays honor to fallen trooper

Cavalry regiment pays honor to fallen trooper

By Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.


CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – “It seems unfair for a man who had not served even a year in the Army to be taken from us. But it’s young men who die in war.”
Chaplain (Capt.) Danny Wilson’s words hung over the crowd assembled to mourn the death of Thomas Hewett Oct. 21 at Camp Striker.
Hewett, who served in Troop B, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, died Oct. 13 of wounds suffered in an improvised explosive device detonation Sept. 21.
“Thomas had a family back home … he loved his family more than anything, more than his own life,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Bobulis of Brockton, Mass., Hewett’s section sergeant. “He wouldn’t want us to cry, be sad, or feel sorry for him.”
Hewett enlisted in the Army in 2005, and was assigned to B Troop in January of 2006. The Soldiers of his troop remember his sense of humor.
“He was always quick with a smart remark or a smirk,” said friend Pfc. Jonathan Williams, a native of Mount Pleasant, Texas, who met Hewett while inprocessing at Fort Drum.
He recalled a time that Hewett, sleepy, went into the laundry room instead of his barracks room and crawled up onto his “bunk dryer.”
“He looked so peaceful there, none of us bothered to wake him,” Williams said.
Hewett was also described as an excellent Soldier.
“Thomas was a great (Soldier),” said Sgt. Bryan Dunaway of Hurricane, W. Va., a section sergeant with Troop B. “He never complained, and he went out of his way to make things better. That’s all you can ask of a Soldier.”
Hewett’s only difficulty was with running, his troop mates said.
“We carried him more than he ran,” Williams said. “But he’s running like the wind now, by God. …I want to say thanks to Hewett for being a small part of my life and a large part of my heart.”
“He will be remembered as a good father to his son, a good husband to his wife, and a good Soldier,” Wilson said.
The legendary resting place of cavalry troopers was mentioned only once at the memorial.
“Do me one last favor,” Bobulis asked in an emotional voice. “Mark the way to Fiddler’s Green.”

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‘Operation Commando Hunter’ team finds 123 weapons caches in the triangle

‘Operation Commando Hunter’ team finds 123 weapons caches in the triangle

Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers continue to find weapons caches as part of Operation Commando Hunter.
The Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, seized 55 weapons caches between Oct. 14 and Oct. 20, bringing the total to 123 caches seized in the area near Yusufiyah, 20 miles southwest of Baghdad.
The 55 additional caches consisted of an AK-47, 53,000 7.62mm AK-47 rounds, 4,000 14.5 mm anti-aircraft rounds, 12 23mm rounds, seven 90mm recoilless rifle rounds, 100 pounds of artillery propellant, 100 pounds of plastic explosive, 265 pounds of home-made explosives, a mortar tube, 82 60mm mortar rounds, nine 105mm artillery rounds, 104 120mm mortar rounds, 17 82mm mortar rounds, ten 130mm artillery rounds, 40 pressure plates, 97 directional charges made with HME, a ready-made improvised-explosive device, 17 armor-piercing IEDs, two rocket-propelled-grenade launchers and assorted IED-making supplies.
On Oct. 13, Operation Commando Hunter Soldiers from 4-31 seized 21 caches near Yusufiyah, 20 miles to the southwest of Baghdad.
Those 21 weapons caches consisted of three blocks of dynamite, 21 120mm mortar rounds, five 60mm mortar rounds, 80 7.62mm rounds, an AK-47 assault rifle, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, five RPG rounds, an improvised rocket launcher, a Meals, Ready to Eat bag containing explosive materials, 54 20mm anti-aircraft rounds, three 105mm artillery rounds, seven 82mm mortar rounds, an improvised-explosive device air compressor, a sniper rifle, four 82mm mortar tubes, a 14.5mm receiver barrel, 17 rigged and ready to use IEDs, an anti-aircraft gun and various bomb-making materials.
Operation Commando Hunter is a 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div.’s operation intended to deny the terrorists sanctuary near Yusufiyah, south of Baghdad.

Iraqi NCOs take oath of service

Iraqi NCOs take oath of service

Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

FOB MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq – Graduations are always proud moments, and there was perhaps none prouder than when ten Iraqi soldiers of the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, were presented with certificates and officially became noncommissioned officers in a ceremony at the Iraqi army compound in south Mahmudiyah Oct. 14.
The battalion, known as the Desert Lions, has been working closely with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division’s 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, training and conducting missions in the Mahmudiyah area.
Col. Ali, of the Desert Lions, and Lt. Col. Robert Morschauser, commander, 2nd Bn., 15th FA Regt., were both in attendance at the ceremony, as was Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Mahoney, 2nd BCT.
“It was a challenging course,” said Alah Shimal Hassan, one of the graduates, “but there were many benefits, and we’re ready to take it on. We are pleased by the representation from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and the distinguished Command Sgt. Maj. Mahoney and Col. Morschauser.”
“The toughest part was map analysis,” explained Hassan, “but we spent a lot of time on it.”
He said the soldiers had been thirsting for a chance to prove their mettle with such a course, despite the difficulty.
“We had wished for awhile to start to do the training,” he added. “Our instructor was steadfast and did not shrink from the training sessions.”
Several of the graduates mentioned the stark differences between the army training they recently received and the way things were run in the past.
Now that service is not rewarded by the same corrupt methods as it was previously, Muhammed explained, there has been a change in the outlook, and Iraqi security personnel don’t want corrupt promotions – only pay commensurate with their service.
“Our soldiers now associate service with pay,” Muhammed said. “In our training, we have emphasized the nature of the work and their status (as soldiers). We are grateful to the U.S. and to the Army for helping reinforce the self-confidence of the soldiers and reinforcing all the ethics associated with military service.”

MND-B Soldiers extend helping hand to Rushdi Mullah residents

MND-B Soldiers extend helping hand to Rushdi Mullah residents

Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

RUSHDI MULLA, Iraq – The first few were hesitant, coming in by ones and twos, but soon the floodgates opened and the citizens of Rushdi Mullah came from all over town to receive medical care for a variety of ailments Oct. 19 at a Multi-National Division – Baghdad medical operation.
The medical operation was conducted by Soldiers of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in the small town of Rushdi Mulla, and was intended mostly to get an idea of what medical supplies were needed and to determine what clinics and health care providers were available in the area.
“It’s what we came to do, besides taking care of our own,” said Spc. Carrielynn Spillis, a native of Toledo, Ohio, and a medic with Company C, 210th Brigade Support Battalion, attached to 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment. “It’s nice being able to come here and help them.”
Kazar, a resident of Rushdi Mullah, brought his cousin’s son, Mustafa, to the operation to have the 1-year-old boy’s hand treated for an injury.
Medics washed it and applied antibacterial ointment and explained, through an interpreter, that each finger would have to be wrapped separately to keep them from healing together.
“I’m glad the Americans came to help,” Kazar said.
“We’re planning treatment … to provide for local civilians in the area,” said Sgt. Jason Lane, a medic with 4-31 Inf. Regt. “We had a very good turnout, didn’t see anything too extreme, and we have a better idea of what to expect in this area.”
“Initially they were fairly timid,” he said. “By the end of the operation, they were more personable, particularly the children.”
The Soldiers brought bags of toys – everything from plush animals to squeezable rubber ducks, which seemed to transcend the language barrier and brought smiles.
Initially, the operation was announced over loudspeakers throughout the neighborhood; but after a poor showing to start the operation, Soldiers went door-to-door to get the word out.
“When we did the foot patrol with announcements, we saw a huge change (in turnout),” said Maj. Robert Griggs, a native of Colusa, Calif., and plans officer for 4-31 Inf. Regt.
It wasn’t only the medics that made the operation work.
“We went out to distract the enemy so the medics could act,” said Pfc. James Cook, Company D, 4-31 Inf. Regt. “We set up three traffic control points to search vehicles and patrolled the areas … It was all quiet.”
“We kept an eye on things to make sure Soldiers didn’t get hurt. We all came back in one piece. It was a good patrol,” said Pfc. Samuel Rhodes, also of Co. D.
“It’s a positive step in the war on terror,” said 1st Lt. Aaron Brooks, of Syracuse, N.Y., medical platoon leader, 4-31 Inf. Regt. “The Iraqis trust us enough to seek health care, and we are willing to give it in any way possible. … The end state should be that we help support the Ministry of Health to do its own medical operations.”

Commando Brigade seizes terrorist outpost

2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

YUSUFIYAH, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, occupied the Yusufiyah thermal power plant at approximately 2 a.m. Monday; the plant is located on the Euphrates River, near Sadr al Yusufiyah, approximately 25 miles southwest of Baghdad.
The operation was carried out as part of Operation Commando Hunter, with the intent to deny al Qaeda in Iraq, former regime elements and foreign fighters sanctuary within the Euphrates River valley.
Intelligence indicates terrorists used the area as a safe haven to stage attacks against the government of Iraq and Coalition Forces.
The power plant is an unfinished project that dates back to the Saddam Hussein regime. Construction on the facility was started by Russian contractors but abandoned when the Baathist government defaulted on payments. Terrorists allegedly took over the structure.
Earlier phases of the operation resulted in the capture of more than 130 weapons caches throughout the Mahmudiyah, Yusufiyah and Shakariah Triangle. Among the weapons seized were heavy anti-aircraft machine guns, aircraft bombs and improvised-explosive device making materials.
There were no MND-B casualties during the assault.
All efforts were planned into the operation to ensure no civilians were harmed during the operation. In an effort to prevent civilian casualties, Soldiers conducted the military operation at a period of time when Iraqi citizens would be at home with their families.

CNN coverage of 2-14 Inf.

CNN

CNN's Arwa Damon is embedded with U.S. troops south of Baghdad.

Troops 'roll the dice' with push into Triangle of Death
By Arwa DamonCNN



In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events.
YUSIFIYA, Iraq (CNN) -- In the distance, explosions are heard -- it could be anything. The American soldiers don't even look up.
Their focus is on reading the land. To the untrained eye it looks benign. But for them it is filled with clues and potentially deadly traps.
Sgt. Joshua Bartlett, 24 and on his second tour here, hacks through weeds with his machete. A few yards away, two other soldiers with sweat pouring down their faces dig away dirt with their knives.
"It's like an Easter egg hunt, only you roll the dice every time you do it," 24-year-old Sgt. Frankie Parra says. He's half-joking as he stands over a pile of 60 mm mortar rounds freshly dug from underneath weeds in the fields and farmlands just south of Baghdad.
His deployments aren't getting any easier. On his third tour in Iraq, he's operating -- along with the men of Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division -- in an area known as the "Triangle of Death."
A U.S. soldier watches for signs of danger on Operation Commando Hunter.
Four soldiers from this battalion have been killed on this volatile patch of land, just outside Yusifiya and 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Baghdad, in the two weeks since Operation Commando Hunter began, and another 20 have been wounded.
The troops are pushing into fields and farmlands where there had been no regular U.S. presence for the better part of the last three years. In this same area, two American soldiers were kidnapped in a checkpoint attack in June and then murdered.
The insurgency here has literally dug itself in. The soldiers are finding a gold mine of weapons caches 3 to 6 inches below ground. Intertwining canals lined with tall reeds offer insurgents plenty of cover ideal for snipers and ambushes.
"It's OJT -- on the job training," says the 30-year-old company commander, Capt. Shane Finn. On his second tour of duty here, he peers into the tall reeds looking for telltale signs that the enemy may be lurking nearby.
"I know that there is going to be something right around that corner," he says, pointing to the opposite side of the canal where some of the larger caches were found in the last two weeks.
Sure enough, carefully hidden in the weeds, the troops first find an AK-74, slightly smaller caliber than an AK-47, and magazines. "This looks like a spotter's position," Finn says.
Within minutes and a few yards away, the troops uncover mortars. Across the road, they find wiring, an array of crude triggers and, nearby, a "poor man's EFP [explosively formed projectile]." Basically a tube with plastic explosives, the directional charge is lethal.
"It looks like we interrupted someone planning on laying more IEDs [improvised explosive devices]," Finn says.
What they find on this day pales compared to what's been uncovered during the last two weeks. The troops are working on clearing an area no larger than 4 square miles (6 kilometers) and already they have found more than 100 weapons caches with enough material to make at least 1,000 roadside bombs.
The soldiers also discovered anti-aircraft machine guns (the 101st Brigade that previously operated here had at least two helicopters shot down); half a dozen sniper rifles, some with night vision capabilities; crude rocket-propelled grenade launchers and mortar launching tubes; and 55-gallon drums filled with liquid explosives.
All these men -- from the seasoned veterans to the fresh-faced privates -- display an upbeat attitude. One would never think they were operating under circumstances in which a wrong step, an unlucky jab with a knife into the ground or an insurgent attack could cost them a limb or their lives.
In these fields, the troops say they are able to see the difference they are making -- each weapon found is a step in the right direction, each returning family and reopening shop offers hope.
As night falls and the relentless mosquitoes come out, the soldiers head back to their patrol base, a dismal two-story building they now call home.
They dine on MREs (meals ready to eat), read magazines by flashlight and sleep any place they can find a cozy spot on the ground. Sorry, no shower.
They joke, give each other a hard time, and don't complain. In the morning, they will head back out again.

MNC-I'senior NCO visits 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. Soldiers

MNC-I’s senior NCO visits 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. Soldiers

Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

BAGHDAD – The Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers making their way through the pastoral marketplace outside Sadr Al-Yusufiyah stop frequently, well aware of the road’s reputation for danger. They check every unusual pile of dirt, every crack in the road, as they safeguard their valuable cargo: Lt. Col. John Valledor, commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Clyde Glenn, both of 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, who were escorting Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Beam, Multi-National Corps – Iraq’s senior enlisted leader.
The Soldiers of the commander’s personnel security detachment escorted Beam Sept. 26 to see their outpost, Patrol Base Warrior Keep, near Sadr Al-Yusufiyah, as well as a nearby battle position.
“It’s always a pleasure to see professionals at work,” said Beam, a native of Kissimmee, Fla. “They’re fresh; they’re doing fine … and we always learn a lot when we go out.”
While the patrol was for the most part routine, the Soldiers stopped two Iraqis who appeared to be taking photos of the vehicles.
After some discussion through translators, the men were determined to be doing nothing wrong and were released.
Sgt. Stuart Fredieu, a team leader with 2nd Bn., 14th Inf. Regt., and a native of Quapaw, Okla., was guarding a checkpoint next to Warrior Keep when the convoy arrived.
“We check every vehicle,” he explained, “and we ask questions about how people feel and what they know.”
The Soldiers also try to be sensitive to the local nationals’ needs.
The Islamic holiday of Ramadan is going on now, so the checkpoint is kept open an hour later, said Fredieu. Many of the residents in this area gather in the evenings to break the fast with friends and need to use the checkpoint later than normal.
“We basically are securing the sector,” said Spc. Terry Hobson, truck gunner, 2nd Bn., 14th Inf. Regt., and a native of Sacramento, Calif. “Everybody did everything like they are supposed to. We stopped the two people, but it was a pretty normal patrol.”
Beam and his personnel security detachment have logged over 20,000 miles in Iraq, visiting even the most remote outposts of U.S. forces here to offer encouragement and make sure standards are maintained.
“If you don’t enforce the standard, you’re not going to get (anywhere),” Beam said. “It’s good to have this brigade here. Their reputation precedes them.”

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10th Mtn. Soldiers work with IA to assist local nationals

10th Mtn. Soldiers work with IA to assist local nationals

Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

YUSUFIYAH, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, along with the Iraqi Army worked together to provide assistance to local nationals after a car bomb detonated in Yusufiyah Sept. 18.
After receiving notification of the incident the Soldiers of 4-31 arrived at the site to help the IA help secure the area and assist in clean-up efforts.
The bomb was spotted by an Iraqi Soldier at a marketplace in the Yusufiyah area. After spotting the bomb the Iraqi Soldier tried to help a local national, who was in potential danger, to safety.
The bomb, intended to disrupt the Iraqi government and U.S. efforts to revitalize the economic conditions of Yusufiyah was detonated by the terrorists.

“The terrorists are attacking those things that support the people. This market is a key to the economic stability of Yusufiyah,” said Capt. Jason Anderson, 2nd BCT assistant operations officer. “Due to this action, construction is delayed, which means that jobs are delayed, families are inconvenienced and it will take longer for stability.”
After the site was secured, fire trucks from the neighboring town of Mahmudiyah were escorted into the city to put out the fire and assist in clean-up efforts.
“We ask that the good citizens of south Baghdad please come to us with information so the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police and coalition forces can arrest these criminals,” said Maj. Kenny Mintz, 2nd BCT operations officer. “This act will not stop the progress. It only slowed it down for a short while.”
“Also significant here is that the municipal governments of Yusufiyah and Mahmudiyah worked together to put out these fires,” Anderson said. “This is a functioning Iraqi government.”
One Iraqi Soldier and one local national were wounded in the incident.



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Equal Opportunity

OBSERVANCES
by Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Drayton
2nd BCT equal opportunity advisor

As we close out on this year’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, which ran from September 15th to October 15th, I would like everyone to focus on the reason that these observances were established by Public Law. To often people believe that these observances are times set aside for that particular ethnic group to celebrate their heritage. However, while that is a part of the observance, the overall goal of these observances is to increase everyone else’s awareness and knowledge of the culture, diversity, and accomplishments that these rich cultures have contributed to the United States of America. Together, all of these contributions have made us the greatest nation in the world today. Accomplishment of the overall goal does not always have to involve some lavish ceremony or activity, but can be as simple as asking or talking to that individual that is in your team, squad, platoon, etc., that is of that particular ethnic group. So remember, observances are not just celebrations but opportunities to increase awareness. -COMMANDOS

Troops eat well, even on front lines

Troops eat well, even on front lines

By Spec Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.


CAMP STRIKER, Iraq -- “An army marches on its stomach.” Napoleon observed centuries ago, and it this will remain true until mechanical warfighters are created.
Keeping an army – or even a battalion – fed is not a simple task. The dining facility at Mahmudiyah feeds the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, both of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and attached troops three meals a day, seven days a week, said Chief Warrant Officer Shawn Lashbrook, the brigade’s food service advisor.
The Polar Bears of 4-31, like their namesake, require a great deal of sustenance while on their constant missions.
Every two weeks, for example, the dining facility goes through 1,320 pounds of steaks, 1,250 pounds of hamburger patties, 270 cases of soda and 450 cases of ice cream.
Food is ordered online and trucked from Kuwait to Mahmudiyah in refrigerated vans.
For the Soldiers of the 2nd BCT, the news that they would be sent to Mahmudiyah implied that they’d be living on Meals, Ready to Eat indefinitely, so the Polar Bear Café was a welcome surprise.
“It’s just fine,” said Pfc. Kristina McCaddon, a communications specialist assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, and a native of Seaside, Calif. “It’s better than I expected, and better than MREs.”
“My favorite is Mexican food,” offered Spc. Joshua Scott, a signal noncommissioned officer from Tioga Center, N.Y., stationed at Mahmudiyah with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment. “Sometimes they have fajitas and enchiladas.”
And even if the food weren’t good, the dining facility is the safest place to be in the event of an attack, Lashbrook said. The building is largely composed of gabion baskets filled with rocks and dirt, despite its unassuming plywood walls, and layers of sandbags on the roof provide protection for the occupants.
There are plans to increase the force protection capabilities, however, like increasing security for those who come to sate their hungry bellies and more equipment for the cooks.
Spc. Robert Conner of Johnson City, Tenn., explained that the life of a food service specialist isn’t an easy one.
“It’s pretty hard,” he said. “Eleven hour or nine hour shifts, seven days a week. Even in (garrison), we work weekends while everybody else is off.”
A food service specialist works breakfast and lunch one day, dinner another, he explained.
“Dinner is harder, because you’re preparing a full meal,” he said. Lunch and breakfast offer more prepared foods – cereal, fruit, or heat-and-serve foods like egg rolls and pizza. Dinner can be almost anything, from pork chops to stew.
Spc. Tavon Pettway of Bridgeport, Conn., finds the work difficult, but rewarding.
“It’s nice that the Soldiers appreciate it,” he said. “They give a lot of compliments. We have a couple of guys that always come by and say thanks.”
Some standards on the menu include Italian food nights with pasta and traditional dishes, Mexican, including tacos, and surf-and-turf on Friday evenings, complete with lobster, crab, and steak.
Even if Soldiers are out on a mission and can’t make it in for a meal, the staff provides what they can.
“They leave it open during the day so you can come in and get food,” said Sgt. Kenyon Hunt of 2-15, a native of Phoenix.
“Everybody seems to like it,” Lashbrook said. “I was down there the other day and everybody had nothing but praise for the Mahmudiyah dining facility.”
The dining facility serves about 2,700 meals each day, seating 250 Soldiers at a time, with 19 food service specialists.
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4-31 Soldiers find 14 weapons caches, IED's and body armor

MND-B Soldiers find 14 weapons caches, IEDs and body armor

Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

BAGHDAD – Soldiers from Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, found and seized 14 separate caches containing weapons, explosives and propaganda material during a combat operation in southern Baghdad at approximately 2:51 p.m. today.
Some of the seized weapons included three anti-tank mines, one anti-personnel mine, one 22mm rocket tip, tools for fabricating improvised –explosive devices, 12 sticks of dynamite, one rifle, three rifle scopes, 30 partially completed AP IEDs, three fused rockets, 14 60mm rounds, 19 82mm rounds, one rocket-propelled grenade, five IEDs with initiators, seven full AK-47 magazines, one RPG launcher and a fertilizer bag full of IED making materials.
Weapons were not the only things found during the mission. Other items used by terrorists were uncovered.
Some of the other items uncovered were six cordless phones, three phone chargers, spools of wire, one ski mask 38 videocassettes, eight individual-communication devices, eight circuit boards and six cordless telephone sets. These items are commonly used to command-detonate the IEDs
Also found were a Sony 8mm video camera, video tapes, batteries and camera remote devices commonly used to record the terrorist attacks for propaganda purposes.
In the same incident three uniforms, written documents and various types of body armor were found.
The unit found these items while conducting Operation Commando Hunter which is targeting the al Qaeda network in the Shakariyah Traingle, southwest of Baghdad.

2-14 Soldiers capture suspected terrorist

MND-B 2-14 Soldiers capture suspected terrorist

Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

BAGHDAD – Soldiers from Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, captured an alleged terrorist at approximately 10 a.m. Oct. 7 in southwest Baghdad.
While conducting a combat patrol the Soldiers of the 2-14 Inf. observed a man acting suspiciously near a house. The search of the house revealed substantial findings.
A sniper rifle and supplies for constructing improvised-explosive devices.
The suspect was detained and taken to an approved holding facility for further questioning.


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4-31 Soldiers discover more than 75 weapons caches

MND-B Soldiers discover more than 75 weapons caches

Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers continue to find weapons caches for a seventh day as part of Operation Commando Hunter.
The Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, seized 21 caches Friday, bringing the total to 78 caches seized in the area near Yusufiyah, 20 miles southwest of Baghdad.
The 21 additional weapons caches consisted of three blocks of dynamite, 21 120mm mortar rounds, five 60mm mortar rounds, 80 7.62mm rounds, an AK-47 assault rifle, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, five RPG rounds, an improvised rocket launcher, a Meals, Ready to Eat bag with explosive materials in it, 54 20mm anti-aircraft rounds, three 105mm artillery rounds, seven 82mm mortar rounds, an improvised-explosive device air compressor, a sniper rifle, four 82mm mortar tubes, a 14.5mm receiver barrel, 17 rigged and ready to use IEDs, an anti-aircraft gun and various bomb-making materials.
Commando Hunter is a 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div.’s operation intended to deny the terrorists sanctuary near Yusufiyah, south of Baghdad.

4-31 Soldiers discover more than 50 weapons caches

MND-B Soldiers discover more than 50 weapons caches

Maj. Webster Wright
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers continue to find weapons caches for a fifth day as part of Operation Commando Hunter.
The Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, seized 12 caches Wednesday, bringing the total to 53 caches seized in the area near Yusufiyah, 20 miles to the southwest of Baghdad.
The 12 additional weapons caches consisted of two anti-aircraft guns, 35 60mm mortar rounds, two 500-pound aircraft bombs in shipping crates, 57 82mm mortar rounds, two Dragonov sniper rifle scopes, 200 Dragonov sniper rounds, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, eight RPG rounds, two 60mm mortar tubes, a 120mm mortar tube, three 120mm mortar rounds, 42 home-made hand grenades and various bomb-making materials.
Commando Hunter is a 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div.’s operation intended to deny the terrorists sanctuary near Yusufiyah, south of Baghdad.
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The Sandstorm magazine 1st Edition

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210th BSB Providers go the extra mile

October 12, 2006

‘Providers’ go extra mile to provide Soldier support

Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – In the age of e-mail and 24-hour super centers, people sometimes forget that food and supplies have to be transported by truck or airplane – and getting supplies around in a combat zone can be a dangerous and dicey proposition in Iraq.
The Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, is nicknamed “Provider” for a reason – convoys of trucks roll out every other day to take food, medical supplies and other goods to remote forward operating bases in the brigade’s theater of operations.
At times, the Soldiers of the BSB’s personnel security detachment are called on to assist in moving the items.
On Oct. 4 and 5, the Soldiers traveled from Camp Striker to Forward Operating Base Gator Swamp with a load of supplies – everything from grapefruit to toilet paper.
“They’re dependable,” said Pfc. John Hinton, of 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, a native of Fort Worth, Texas. “They get you what you need when you ask.”
The PSD dropped off a water-purification system to the remote base, which will enable the Soldiers and locals to have potable water without trucking it in. Fruit, Gatorade, soda and other niceties of life were well received.
“It’s to keep morale high,” said Pfc. Antonio Harmon, of Hollywood, Fla., a transportation specialist with the BSB. “It lets them know we’re all on one team. They’ve got our back, and we’ve got theirs.”
“We’re helping bring goods to the Soldiers who don’t get the everyday conveniences we do,” added Spc. George Ernie, of Chicago, also with the PSD. “We bring that out to them.”
The next day, an air-conditioning system repair machine went to Forward Operating Base Yusufiyah, as well as new humvee tires, heavy-duty jacks, foot lockers and sundries.
“Anytime we get stuff that we need, it’s always good,” said Sgt. Scott Matthews, supply sergeant for 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT. “We can always find some use for whatever they send.”
The Soldiers of Company C, 4th Bn., 31st Inf. Regt., based in Yusufiyah, was especially glad for the shipment.

“Batteries are good,” said Pfc. Nicholas Phillips, of Allen, Texas, an infantryman with Company C. “We use a lot of batteries for our night vision (equipment). They run out real quick.”
Due to its relatively central location, the base is often the nearest haven for convoys with disabled vehicles. The mechanics there repair 45 to 50 vehicles each week and go through tires often.
“We need (supplies). It makes our job easier,” said Staff Sgt. Edwin Brown of Charleston, S.C., a mechanic with 4th Bn., 31st Inf. Regt., who explained, the trucks are often badly damaged, with blown tires. “When we’re fixing trucks; we use a lot of supplies.”
The Soldiers of the PSD said they also find a certain satisfaction in keeping their compatriots in the fight.
“It makes us feel good,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Felix, of Memphis, Tenn., the PSD noncommissioned officer in charge.
“When you drop it off, you can see it in their faces,” he said. “They call us the traveling Christmas truck. Last week we were on a delivery and a Soldier said ‘We love you guys.’ It makes us feel good.”

2nd BSTB Mechanics

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2nd BCT CD06 media VTC

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