1-15 Brings Mobile Communications to Battlefield

1. By Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT Public AffairsFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Staff Sgt. Matthew Hancock looked over schematics the 82nd Airborne had put together for a mobile tactical operations center and knew that he could build something similar for his battalion.Hancock, of Eatonton, Ga., signal chief for 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, saw the potential of having a mobile off-road vehicle equipped with multiple radio systems in 1-15th Inf. Regt.’s area of operation and ran with the idea.“I actually knew we could build it better,” Hancock said. “The plans I saw looked pretty flimsy. I knew there was no way that would hold up on the battlefield, so we looked to make it better. I think we improved on it in every way, actually.”In two days, Hancock, Spc. Johnny Simmons, of Columbus, Ga., and Spc. Ashley Hartin, of Columbia, S.C., both of Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt., transformed a regular four-wheel, all-terrain vehicle into the DRAGON V, the first Deployable Radio Air to Ground Operational Network Vehicle.Hartin designed the cabinet that houses a 10-kilowatt generator, two long-range FM radios, a satellite radio, an un-manned aerial vehicle radio and a computer that helps the operators monitor everything on the battlefield. Simmons provided Hancock technical support and helped wire all the equipment on the vehicle.Pooling their expertise wasn’t a problem for the three Soldiers.“The challenge for me was knowing the correct sizes of everything and making a base that could fit everything, but still provide protection and support,” explained Hartin. “We worked really well together. We each helped on the other’s tasks. The fact we had it fully mission capable in two days says something.”The vehicle was not given an easy test run for its initial outing.The Dragon V was used during Company A’s night air assault mission on Aug. 16 southeast of Baghdad. Despite going over uneven terrain and drainage ditches and through heavily wooded areas, the vehicle performed exceptionally well, 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers said.“It went really well,” said Spc. James Jones, of Tyler, Texas, Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt., the vehicle’s driver that night. “The vehicle handled the terrain fine. Nothing broke off. We couldn’t have asked for better.”Hancock was pleased with the vehicle’s first mission and sees potential for its use on the battlefield.“It gives the commander a lot more assets on the battlefield,” he said. “Instead of having to rely on relays, he can get live feeds. He can be at one spot and check on a unit 100 meters away in moments. He can gauge reactions on the battlefields as they happen and not have to hear it from miles away.”According to Hancock, 1-15th Inf. Regt. plans to use it in future missions. He is excited that the role he and his fellow Soldiers will play in upcoming operations.“This is the first time a mechanized Army unit has engineered, built and deployed a vehicle like this,” he said. “We are proud of what we’ve done. We feel like we have raised the bar for the Army. 1-15 Brings Mobile Communications to Battlefield Spc. Ashley Martin, of Columbus, Ga., and Spc. Johnny Simmons, of Columbia, S.C., Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, drive and test the radios on the Dragon V around Combat Outpost Cleary, Aug. 17.

2. 1-15 Inf. Regt. Builds Progress and an Outpost In addition to obtaining a reliable workforce, the local hires are strengthening Company B’s relationship with the community. “The hires have helped build goodwill with the people here,” Collins said. “We have also provided water and some medical aid to the people, but the jobs we are providing really helps the community because it puts more money back into the local economy. We have met with many of the local sheiks and tribal leaders and they are glad that we are here.”In addition to outside assets, 1-15th Inf. Regt. has its very own four-man building team dedicated to getting COP Carver up and running.Staff Sgt. Jorge Sanchez, from Pine Mountain, Ga., an infantryman in Headquarters Company, is in charge of a crew that does most of the carpentry work and upgrades on the temporary housing at COP Carver.“We are just trying to get the living areas up to standard before we go home,” he said. “If we can get the living areas squared away, the units that replace us will have an easier time getting established when they arrive.”Sanchez admitted it can be hard work, but believes he and his Soldiers play an important role in making missions happen at the outpost.“The busier we stay out here, the better it is for everyone,” he said. “It gives more Soldiers here more time to rest and more relaxing surroundings. It’s a challenge sometimes, but we get the job done.”Pottiger said that the perimeter of the outpost is 90 percent complete. The interior development of the outpost still has a long way to go, in his opinion, but he feels his Soldiers are well ahead of schedule.“We are going to get a lot done in a short amount of time,” he said. “We will have a water filtration system installed in the next day or two … we will be installing showers next week. It’s getting better here.” By Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – When told that he and his Soldiers would be setting up the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s newest combat outpost with only a little more than three months left in their deployment, 1st Sgt. Arvento Collins was ready.“We get orders and we execute,” said Collins, from Wilson, N.C., Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. “It wasn’t any different than any other task we’ve been given.”Collin’s company inherited a piece of land located next to the Tigris River near al Duraiya, a small village near Salman Pak, that had been used by extremists as a safe haven since the 3rd HBCT arrived in March 2007.First Lt. Ivan Eno, platoon leader for second platoon, Company B, said the area south of Salman Pak was sparsely populated with many abandoned homes and farms for enemy fighters to hide in.A significant consideration was the size of the outpost; COP Carver is one of the largest outposts the 3rd HBCT has set up.“The size of this COP is definitely the biggest challenge,” Collins said. “We had to change our security plan so that we could have the right amount of Soldiers on guard. As with everything, security is always our number one priority.”The 3rd HBCT engineers wasted no time enclosing the outpost’s perimeter with 12-foot concrete barriers. The 1-15th Inf. Regt. also hired 100 local workers to help fill sandbags, remove rubble, set up the barriers and lay concertina wire.“They have done a good job so far,” said Master Sgt. Heath Pottiger, from Carlisle, Pa., the operations non-commissioned officer for Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt. “We showed them how we wanted the concertina wire hung and they have hung a three strand fence that was up to standard. They come here every morning and work hard.” Local workers from al Duraiya, a small village south of Salman Pak, Iraq, clear debris at Combat Outpost Carver, Feb. 27. One hundred local workers were hired by the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team to help set up COP Carver.

3. 1-15 Inf. Regt. Clear Routes Near Al Duraiya By Spc. Ben Hutto3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment conducted a two day joint operation with the 1st Brigade, 1st National Police Division to set up Concerned Local Citizen checkpoints and disrupt insurgent networks operating near Al Duraiya, a small village near Salman Pak, Jan. 28 and 29.During the operation, 1-15th Inf. Regt. found seven improvised explosive devices and a weapons cache.Soldiers from the 789th Ordnance Company, from Ft. Benning, Ga., secured the cache and transported it to another site for disposal.The cache contained 10 hand grenades, 260 machine gun rounds, 150 rounds of small arms ammunition, 50 high explosive rounds, a can of homemade explosives, a Russian air force bomb converted into an IED and the base of an explosive formed projectile.First Lt. Ross Pixler, from Phoenix, Ariz., a platoon leader in Company A, 1-15 Inf. Regt., said the operation was meeting its objective.“We have been pushing insurgents out of the area and securing Salman Pak,” Pixler said. “So far, we have been very successful and hopefully it will continue to be that way.”The Concerned Local Citizens have been instrumental in helping find insurgents and weapons caches by providing information and monitoring roadside checkpoints.“I joined with them to rescue my neighborhood because it had been attacked by terrorists,” said a member of the CLCs through an interpreter. “At first, they (the insurgents) said what they were doing was jihad, but then they acted like insurgents. That is why we put our trust in God. Our religion says that if we ask for peace, we will go in peace.”Pixler said most CLCs join with similar hopes of helping secure their neighborhoods.“The fact that they are willing to sign up and get their picture and finger prints taken shows they are going down the right path and they are willing to work with us,” Pixler said.Registration is a minor inconvenience for those who sign up.“If some people don’t want peace then you need to find the people who do,” said the CLC. “You must take care of your neighborhood and fight against those who want harm against it.”The 1-15th Inf. Regt is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007. Spc. Raquel Martinez, a combat medic with the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, takes a knee and scans the area during an operation in al Duraiya, a small village near Salman Pak, Jan. 28. (Photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston, 55th Combat Camera) Master Sgt. Heath Potteiger, an infantryman in the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, scans for enemy personnel while conducting an operation in Al Duraiya, a small village near Salman Pak, Jan. 28. (Photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston, 55th Combat Camera) Maj. John Cushing (left), operations officer for the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, talks with Lt. Col. Jack Marr (right), commander of the 1-15 Inf. Regt., while keeping an eye out for enemy personnel during an operation in Al Duraiya, a small village near Salman Pak, Jan. 28. (Photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston, 55th Combat Camera) Sgt. Adam Hedrick, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, scans for enemy personnel while conducting an operation in al Duraiya, a small village near Salman Pak, Jan. 28. (Photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston, 55th Combat Camera)

4. 1-15 Inf. Regt. Holds Iraqi Conservation Corps Sign-ups By Sgt. Natalie Rostek3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers and leaders of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, held an Iraqi conservation corps sign-up Dec. 27 for citizens of Al Huda.According to Capt. John Horning, from Houston, Texas, commander of Company C, the members of the ICC conduct one of three services in their communities within the Nahia. These services are sanitation, construction, and security.“A program like this takes the Concerned Local Citizens Program to the next step,” Horning said. “Obviously security is the first concern but in an area like Al Huda, where security is maintained, this is the right next step.”Horning said local leaders came to him with concerns about the citizens in their villages needing jobs. He advertised the program sign-up by visiting local leaders in the company’s area of operation. “Their sheiks recommend and sponsor them,” he explained. “Then they are entered into the HIIDES system and run through the police data base.” The HIIDES, or Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment System, is used by law enforcement agencies as a quick reference system to help in the identification and apprehension of criminals. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team has been using the system to quickly identify and catalogue persons of interest during its continuing operations in the Mada’in Qada. In this case, to screen all applicants and check them against a database the brigade maintains.Horning said members applying for the sanitation “platoon” do not need any experience, however, those who are applying for construction jobs are required to have some kind of trade skill correlated with the job at hand. “This program will hopefully help return them to normalcy and that’s what they need,” Horning said. Funding for the ICC comes from the 3rd BCT, Horning said. Local citizens who came to the sign-up were excited about the job opportunities Company C was providing. “I have 13 kids who are all very young,” Yahia Latef, said. “I am on my own to make money for my family. In this area there are a lot of people without jobs. This is a great thing the coalition forces are doing for the people here. I hope everyone gets a job. I hope the project is here for a long time.”During a meeting with village leaders before the sign-up began, Horning explained his hope for the project and the good it will do for the community.“We would much rather be doing a project like this than having to go out and kill the bad guys in your community,” he told the leaders.Horning has high expectations and said he can see two positive outcomes occurring because of the project’s success.“This project is concrete in the sense that we are putting dollars into the economy and people are working,” he said. “Also, we are helping people see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are helping them see hope. They see that things are going to get better.”Company C, 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007. Local citizens give a Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, interpreter information about himself as 1st Lt. James Short, Seattle, Wash., a platoon leader in Company C oversees the task during an Iraqi conservation corps force sign-up, Dec. 27, in Al Huda, Iraq. Pfc. James Wilson, Port Huron, Mich., Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, enters a local citizen into the Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment System during an Iraqi conservation corps force sign-up, Dec. 27, in Al Huda, Iraq. HIIDES is a digital way to store individual’s information that will be used in the hiring process of civil services workers. Sgt. Teddy Lakin, Clarksville, Ind., Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, enters a local citizen into the Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment System during an Iraqi conservation corps force sign-up, Dec. 27, in Al Huda, Iraq. HIIDES is a digital way to store individual’s information that will be used in the hiring process of civil services workers

5. 1-15 Inf. Regt. Soldier Re-enlists After Stop-loss By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd Brigade Combat Team FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – A 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Soldier re-enlisted Nov. 15 at Combat Outpost Cleary, after being deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V on stop-loss status.Sgt. Adam Hedrick, from Corona, Calif., a Soldier in 1-15th Inf. Regt., was scheduled to end his three-year term of military service in March. As part of the surge, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, deployed to Iraq three months early. Instead of getting out of the Army, Hedrick was put on stop-loss status, keeping him in the unit through the deployment.“I didn’t have a solid plan for getting out so the stop-loss didn’t bother me as much as some may think,” Hedrick said. “I had options, but I hadn’t decided on anything.”Hedrick, who re-enlisted for three more years, said re-enlisting had always been an option for him. He just wanted to make certain it was the best to achieve his goals later in life.“I want to use the time I re-enlisted to go to school,” he said. “This way, when my contract runs out again, I’ll have a better foundation for a future as a civilian.”Lt. Col. Jack Marr, Minneapolis, commander of the 1-15th Inf. Regt., said he had been trying to talk Hedrick into re-enlisting. He realized Hedrick’s talent as a Soldier was something the Army couldn’t afford to lose.“He is a great young man,” Marr said. “The Army needs him to stay for his experience and his ability to lead and train Soldiers.”Hedrick was previously deployed in support of OIF III, serving with Company A, 1-15th Inf. Regt. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant, Nov. 1.The 1-15th Inf. Regt. has had great success in re-enlistment, according to Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Olsen, Goldendale, Wash., non-commissioned officer in charge of re-enlistment for the 3rd BCT. The unit had the highest number of Soldiers re-enlist out of the entire brigade for fiscal year 2007. Sgt. 1st Class David Shannon, from Columbia, S.C., attributes this success to the leadership in the battalion.“The morale in 1-15th Inf. Regt. is among the highest of any unit I have ever served in, in the 17 years I’ve been in the Army,” Shannon said. “Command climate has everything to do with the reason Soldiers re-enlist.”Shannon said he doesn’t look at success in terms of numbers.“It’s not about the numbers,” he said. “It’s about the individual Soldier. What is the best plan of action for each individual Soldier?”The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March. Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of the1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and Sgt. Adam Hedrick, from Corona, Calif., a Soldier in the 1-15th Inf. Regt., proudly display Hedrick’s re-enlistment certificate during a ceremony, Nov. 15, at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq Sgt. Adam Hedrick, from Corona, Calif., a Soldier in the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, raises his right hand and promises three more years to the Army during a re-enlistment ceremony, Nov. 15, at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq.

6. 1-15 Infantry Regiment Aids in Market Improvement By Sgt. Natalie Rostek3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Leaders of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment visited a Salman Pak market Jan. 30 to distribute approximately $15,000 in micro grants to small business owners.Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of 1-15th Inf. Regt., visited 10 small businesses to distribute micro grants to the shop owners. Businesses included an electronic maintenance shop, a barber shop, a sweets shop, a photo shop, a grocery store, a tire repair store, a cement shop, a cell phone store and two restaurants.According to Maj. John Wolfe, from Scottsboro, Ala., a team leader from Company A, 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, a reserve unit from Knoxville, Tenn., the idea is to model the stores after a strip mall that might be seen in the United States. Wolfe said the micro grants will be used by the shop owners to renovate the inside of their stores while 1-15 Inf. Regt. leaders and the 489th CA team will head projects to refurbish the market’s exterior. Wolfe says leaders are planning to paint the buildings, pave the street and install street lights.“We are focusing our efforts to revitalize the center,” Wolfe said. The market is located directly across from Salman Pak’s new Joint Security Station, and in close proximity to a new sanitation building and a fire station currently under construction. The location is perfect for a thriving economy, Wolfe said. Wolfe believes the project will strengthen the relationship between Coalition forces and Salman Pak residents. “It shows we are here to help the populace and improve the economy,” he said. “Of course we will help clear out the people who cause problems but we are here to help bring the economy back to normal.”The 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. Ayad Ali Hameed, a small business owner from Salman Pak, receives a micro grant payment from Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment at his shop. Fatil Mohammed Abbas, a small business owner from Salman Pak, receives a micro grant payment from Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment at his shop. Mustafa Majid Kadham, a small business owner from Salman Pak, receives a micro grant payment from Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment at his shop. Taher Sabah Hameed, a small business owner from Salman Pak, speaks to Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, after receiving a micro grant payment at his shop.

7. By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd HBCT Public Affairs COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq – When Sgt. Seneca Ratledge says he has “been there; done that,” he doesn’t mean just once or twice. At age 28, he has deployed to Iraq three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and has had to face the reality of war firsthand as a combat medic.Ratledge, a Riceville, Tenn., native, is currently deployed to Iraq in support of OIF V as a medic for the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. He treats patients on a daily basis at Combat Outpost Cleary in Wahida. His “office” is always open.“The biggest problems of the patients that come to see me are bug bites and upper respiratory infections from all the dust around,” Ratledge explained. “We also get snake bites and small accidental injuries.”Currently, COP Cleary is being renovated from a torn down building and run-down green houses to a base capable of comfortably housing the 1-15 Inf. Soldiers residing there. Ratledge said he treats a lot of patients suffering from injuries caused by the construction efforts.Ratledge said he doesn’t get off the outpost much now and the down time is a drastic change from the experiences he described from his previous deployments. Seven years ago marked the beginning of what Ratledge describes as one of the most fulfilling times in his life. A Marine recruiter came to his high school and attempted to sell the United States Marine Corps experience to Ratledge but after hearing the offer, he said it wasn’t what he wanted. He was, however, intrigued by the thought of serving in the military. After talking to recruiters from each branch of the military, Ratledge determined what he was looking for was an Army experience. “The Army recruiter gave me the sense that it was going to be a good experience,” he said. “I got the sense of physical activity, higher learning, and accomplishment.”Ratledge said he wanted to go into computers when he joined the Army, but after taking the eye exam, found out he was color blind, which disqualified him from serving in a computer-based specialty. He said he also wanted to go into Special Forces, Ranger School and Flight Medic School, but was unable to due to his color blindness.“After the (color blind) test, they gave me a choice; administration or combat medic,” Ratledge said. The decision was one he said he will never regret even after serving in OIF I and II and now currently in OIF V.Ratledge takes great pride in his job and the experiences he’s had during his seven years in the Army as a combat medic. 1-15 Medic Returns to Iraq for a Third Time He also explained the importance of “keeping your cool” in the event of serious casualties. “Losing it” is just as bad as if a medic were to go down.“You have to suck it up out there,” Ratledge said. “You can either freak out or maintain your composure. If you freak out, everyone else freaks out and nothing gets done.”Along with his job, Ratledge takes pleasure in taking care of his Soldiers, and it is evident when they talk about him.“He’s a great teacher, has a great personality and leads by example,” said Pfc. Marisol Garcia, from San Antonio, a medic with the 1-15 Inf., who works with Ratledge.“He cares about each Soldier he sees as an individual,” said Spc. Jeffery Snowden, a native of Phoenix, a medic who also works with Ratledge. “A lot of medics from the (Combat Support Hospital) see different faces everyday so they really don’t bond with anyone, but here we know these guys. We sleep near them and work with them and hang out with them, so it’s difficult when we see them hurt. Sgt. Ratledge knows that and he understands what we are going through. We feel comfortable talking to him about it.” Ratledge said the Army has taught him to be a better person, a better Soldier and a better leader. He said he can take what he has experienced and explain to the new Soldiers the severity of what they are in for. “This is real,” he said. “I tell them ‘people get hurt, you could get hurt.’”Above all else that he has acquired from his time in the Army, Ratledge said the most important thing he has learned is not to take life for granted.Ratledge said he intends on making a career of the Army. “I can’t say that I will give it up because I won’t,” he said. “There is a lot to still get out of it and there is stuff I still haven’t seen. Everyone has their stories to tell,” Ratledge added. “Just ask. I could go on and on.” Picture Caption

8. 1-15th Inf. Regt. Discovers Cache in Haystack By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment uncovered a weapons cache, Dec. 1, in Al Ja’ara while delivering kerosene to local citizens.According to 1st Lt. Matt Barwick, from Lanham, Md., fire support officer for Co. B, Soldiers were delivering 15,000 liters of kerosene to the village sheik. While conducting the transfer they received information regarding the location of a possible weapons cache.“We went to the location and there was a stack of hay about six or seven feet high,” he said. “Four Soldiers started digging.”Barwick said Pfc. Mark Hayes, from Louisville, Ky., Pvt. Phillip Crum, from Miami, Spc. Mishael Francois, from Trinidad, Africa, and Pfc. Steven Moya, from Redding, Pa., dug through the entire pile of hay to discover two 75 mm rockets, 17 grenades, 2 mortars, 10 pounds of a stripped propellant, and one two-liter bottle of explosive material.“Finding this cache is a message to extremists in this area. They are not safe and they can’t hide weapons. We will find them. This also severely disrupts extremist operations in Al Ja’ara,” Barwick said.Francois said he had an overwhelming feeling come over him when, after digging through the haystack, he touched objects that were not supposed to be there.“It’s a rush,” Francois said. “I felt like this is what we need to get more information. This is what we need to put these criminals away. We got ‘em! I felt like we were doing the right thing.”Although excited about his find, Francois was humble.“It’s what we do,” he said. “We go out there and look for this stuff. If we find it, we find it. If we don’t find it, we go out there next time and try again.”Co. B, 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and has been deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March. Pvt. Phillip Crum, from Miami, an infantryman in Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, points to elements of an insurgent cache Dec. 1 in Al Ja’ara, Iraq, southeast of Baghdad Spc. Mishael Francois, from Trinidad, an infantryman in Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, inventories ammunition seized Dec. 1 in Al Ja’ara, Iraq, southeast of Baghdad Pfc. Mark Hayes, from Louisville, Ky., an infantryman in Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, points to elements of an insurgent cache, Dec. 1, in Al Ja’ara, Iraq, southeast of Baghdad.

9. 1-15th Infantry Regiment Welcomes New Company Commander By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – It was a bittersweet day for Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, as the unit bid farewell to Capt. LeShawn Langford, from Huntsville, Ala., Nov. 6.“I have dreaded this day ever since I took command,” Langford said. “Even before I took the guidon of this stellar company, I was no stranger to the accomplishments and abilities of these amazing Soldiers and leaders.”Langford relinquished command of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt. Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary. Langford turned the company over to Capt. Arthur L. McGrue III, from Sea Side, Calif., former commander of Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment. Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt. began their journey under the command of Langford near the end of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division’s deployment to Iraq in 2005. He led the unit through its redeployment, as well as vigorous training in preparation for the 3rd HBCT’s support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V. The brigade has been in Iraq for seven months and Langford said he could not be prouder of the HHC’s accomplishments.“Regardless of the task set before you, you have accomplished it with ease,” he told company Soldiers and leaders. “We have learned invaluable lessons and gained a wealth of experience in our respective tasks.”Langford’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Kosovo NATO medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, and Airborne Parachutist Badge.McGrue, the incoming commander, also served with the 3rd HBCT during the unit’s deployment in support of OIF III in 2005. He was the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment’s assistant operations officer before being reassigned as the commander of the battalion’s Company A. The 1-30th Inf. Regt. was deactivated shortly after the unit’s redeployment from Iraq and then reactivated as 3-1st Cav. Regt.; McGrue continued as company commander. McGrue relinquished his duties as the Troop A, 3-1st Cav. Regt. commander in July at Patrol Base Assassin.McGrue’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Kosovo NATO Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Southwest Asia Kuwait Liberation Medal, Airborne Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and Ranger Tab.After the ceremony, Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, from Prince George’s County Md., commander, 3rd HBCT, and Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander, 1-15th Inf. Regt. promoted Langford to the rank of major. Before he left, Langford inspired and encouraged Soldiers and leaders of Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt.“I implore you to maintain the vigilance and adherence to high standards of discipline and conduct that have gotten us this far,” he said. “Do not let your guard down as we near the time to transition. Do not allow yourself to become jaded with the enemy, the local populace or with your mission. You are truly our nation’s most valuable commodity.”The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March. Capt. Arthur McGrue, from Sea Side, Calif., incoming commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, takes command of his company for the first time during a change of command ceremony Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, and Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, commander, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, promotes Capt. LeShawn Langford, from Huntsville, Ala., relinquishing commander, HHC, to the rank of major Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, and Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, commander, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, promotes Capt. LeShawn Langford, Huntsville, Ala., relinquishing commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt., to the rank of major Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq. Capt. Arthur McGrue, from Sea Side, Calif., incoming commander, HHC, salutes Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander, 1-15th Inf. Regt., during a change of command ceremony Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq. Capt. Arthur McGrue, from Sea Side, Calif., incoming commander, HHC, Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander, 1-15th Inf. Regt., and Capt. LeShawn Langford, from Huntsville, Ala., relinquishing commander, HHC, 1-15th Inf. Regt. salute the flag during a change of command ceremony Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq Capt. LeShawn Langford, from Huntsville, Ala., relinquishing commander, HHC, hands the company guidon to Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander, 1-15th Inf. Regt., during a change of command ceremony Nov. 3 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq.

10. 1-15th Infantry Uses Soccer to Befriend Villagers 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers from Company E, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment were prepared for the worst when they rolled outside the gates of Forward Operating Base Hammer on June 23.The engineering company had been clearing the roads in the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s area of operation since the day they had arrived. As part of Operation Marne Torch, a Multi-National Division-Center operation, they would provide security near an Iraqi police checkpoint outside the town of Al Durai’ya.“We were supposed to take over that route for the MPs (military police), during Bull Run,” explained Pfc. James Jones, from Killeen, Texas, Company E, 1-15 Infantry. “We cleared up until the check point. We held that spot all night. At about eight in the morning, we went out into a smaller village, and set up a temporary checkpoint.”As the Soldiers manned their post, the children of the village began to come out and look at the visitors in their neighborhood.“It was tough to get them to come out at first,” said Jones. “They weren’t used to seeing us out there and really didn’t know what to make of us. When we broke out three soccer balls it helped, but they really just wanted to take them and run. We really just tried to let them know through our interpreter that we were just there to help.”The number of children swelled as the news of free soccer balls spread through the village. Soon after, the Soldiers used 20 children and three soccer balls to bring a village to them.The Soldiers were able to give something to the girls and smaller boys, thanks to the parents of Pfc. Brian Jolley, from Champaign, Ill., Company E, 1-15 Infantry.“My parents, Laura Stewart and Jeff Jolley, really got the community back in Champaign to donate toys and things like that,” explained Jolley.Armed with a bag of Beanie Babies, Jolley made sure the girls and small children had a stuffed animal as their mothers started coming out to check on them.“I think it’s great that a mother in the United States can help bring a smile to another mother’s face,” said Jolley. “It’s always good when something like a small stuffed animal can help build a relationship with a local mother. Once they saw what we were all out there doing, they warmed up to us and started talking to our interpreters.”While the mothers talked with the interpreters, some of the Company E Soldiers got involved in a soccer game that the boys had started.Jones, who played midfielder at Killeen High School, enjoyed playing his old position, but decided that playing goalie would be better for that game.“I was running around for a little while, but the gear started getting heavy,” laughed Jones. “I decided I’d stay still and let them kick it to me.”Jones believes the game helped break down much of the misinformation that, he believed, insurgents may be giving them.“When things like that happen you are showing them that you are not there to hurt them,” said Jones. “You show people we are there to help. It shows them that we are normal people like them.” The 1-15 Inf. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga. Pfc. James Jones, from Killeen, Texas, Company E, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, plays soccer with children in a village outside Al Durai'ya, Iraq, June 23.

11. 13th Georgian Battalion Takes Command of COP Cleary Story and photos by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office COMBAT OUTPOST CAHILL, Iraq – The 13th Georgian Light Infantry Battalion assumed responsibility for al Wehida from the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, in a transfer of authority ceremony, Feb. 10 ,at Combat Outpost Cleary.Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, commander of the 1-15th Inf. Regt. passed command of COP Cleary to Maj. David Sulkhanishvili, commander of the 13th Georgian LI Bn. Capt. John Horning, from Houston, commander of Company C, 1-15th Inf. Regt. served as commander during the ceremony. Company C had worked in the al Wehida area since April.Marr thanked leaders and representatives of al Wehida and the Mada’in Qada, the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s area of operation, who were present at the ceremony. “Eleven months ago my Soldiers and I moved into this great city,” Marr said. “From that very first day we have been welcomed as friends. Although we were a long way from our homes and families, your hospitality and generosity made us feel like we’d always lived here.”Marr also expressed his pride for the accomplishments of the people of al Wehida. “Over the past year we have watched as the good people of al Wehida have reclaimed their lives from the tyranny of terrorism,” he said. “You have replaced the fear people had, with hope for the future. Allow me to take this opportunity to compliment you for all your courage, your commitment and your dedication to making this city, this nahia and this country better.”Partnered with members of the al Wehida council and other local officials, Company C completed several projects that Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd HBCT, highlighted in his speech.“A new fire station has helped increased safety for local citizens,” Grigsby said. “A new health clinic has improved health care for area children. The al-Eslah School has enhanced opportunities for the next generation. A voice of the Mada’in radio station in Wehida has given the entire qada a new source of information.” Grigsby said residents will soon see a new soccer stadium and improvements to the Wehida market.“This is a tribute to the great work of Lt. Col. Jack Marr and the Dragon (1-15th Inf. Regt.) Soldiers,” Grigsby said, “but more so a tribute to the bravery, commitment and honor of the strong leaders, strong men of al Wehida. The honorable leaders of al Wehida, the men that have truly made this great day happen, are still here working towards that brighter future.”Although the 1-15th Inf. Regt. is leaving the area, the 3rd HBCT will still be present. The 13th Georgian LI Bn. is currently attached to the brigade. Also living on COP Cleary are members of Task Force Petro, the Georgian army liaison team from the 3rd HBCT, who will conduct missions with the Georgian army.“Today it is my honor to introduce to you some new friends,” Marr said to the leaders of al Wehida. “The country of Georgia is a great friend of Iraq and the United States of America.”“We are all working for peace and stability in Iraq,” Sulkhanishvili said through a translator. “I wish for all Soldiers, Georgian and American, to return home safely. God bless us all.”The 13th Georgian LI Bn. is currently attached to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga. The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom since March.

12. Benning Soldiers Provide Resources to Strengthen CLC Checkpoints By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq – Soldiers and leaders of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, visited Hajji Vinn Jahn, the sheik of Vinn Jahn Village and leader of the Concerned Local Citizens group in the area, to coordinate checkpoint improvements and check on their new partners Nov. 14.During the meeting, Hajji Vinn Jahn expressed his concern with small arms attacks on his concerned citizens checkpoints. He described instances where insurgents fired upon his volunteers and then dispersed.“There is a message the terrorists are giving when they run,” said Capt. Brian Jennings, from Topeka, Kan., executive officer of Company C. “They are not strong enough to stand and fight against the concerned citizens.”After the meeting, Jennings, 1st Lt. Aaron Wilkerson, from Columbus, Ga., the fire support officer for the company, and other Company C Soldiers walked to each checkpoint in the village to visit with the concerned citizens that were manning them.The guards at each checkpoint, dressed in their khaki cargo pants and yellow shirts with the Iraqi flag proudly displayed on the sleeve, welcomed the group with smiles and handshakes.“We visit the checkpoints to ensure all the concerned citizens have the necessary supplies to carry out their mission as the first line of defense for Vinn Jahn Village,” Wilkerson said.Company C Soldiers unloaded concertina wire, sandbags, and wood for the checkpoints, and Jennings explained more supplies are still to come.Jennings said the force protection material is to improve the security of each checkpoint. The unit plans to deliver additional materials such as concrete barriers and towers. These materials will help with the safety of the guards at the checkpoints while allowing the concerned citizens full view of the surrounding areas. Jennings further explained Company C is working on getting more cold weather attire for the group.Wilkerson expressed his pride in the Concerned Local Citizens of Vinn Jahn Village. Every time Company C Soldiers visit the checkpoints, all members of the Concerned Local Citizens group are in the correct uniform, they carry their weapons properly and are manning the checkpoints throughout the entire day. He said they abide by all the regulations stipulated in their group contract.“They contribute to the safety and security of Vinn Jahn Village in two ways; they call us when they witness insurgent activity in their village, and they deny insurgents freedom of maneuver in the village,” Wilkerson said. “They have a genuine concern for the safety and security of their town and the families they protect. They share the same interest with us in that respect.”Company C, 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March. A concerned citizen from Vinn Jahn Village, along with Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, looks over an area checkpoint Nov. 14. Spc. Benjamin Block, from Sierra Vista, Ariz., Company C, leads the way as 1LT Aaron Wilkerson, from Columbus, Ga., fire support officer for Company C, an interpreter and concerned citizens follow him down a dirt road on the way to Concerned Local Citizen checkpoints in Vinn Jahn Village Nov. 14. Capt. Brian Jennings, from Topeka, Kan., executive officer of Company C, downloads concertina wire during the Company’s assessment of Concerned Local Citizen checkpoints in Vinn Jahn Village Nov. 14

13. Citizens of Salman Pak, Al Lej Celebrate Reopening of Al Lej Road, Checkpoint 600 By Staff Sgt. Sean Riley 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Residents of Salman Pak and al Lej breathed a collective sigh of relief Feb. 29 as more than 150 Sons of Iraq, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces leaders met to celebrate the reopening of the al Lej road, the main thoroughfare connecting Salman Pak and al Lej.The road had been closed to civilians after a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated at a traffic checkpoint, killing seven Iraqi national policemen in May.Since construction began more than two weeks ago on Combat Outpost Carver, home to Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Soldiers had been assessing needs of local. Their number one concern: reopen the road to Salman Pak.Coalition leaders, local ISF and SoI members, began working together on a plan to restore and improve Checkpoint 600, where the attack had occurred and set the conditions for safe movement of civilians along the road.Local leaders hope the checkpoint and road reopening will bring more people to the area.“We have reopened the city of Salman Pak to Dura’iya, Kanasa, and al Lej – the whole Mada’in Qada can now move freely,” said Brig. Gen. Aamir, the 1st Brigade, 1st National Police commander, following the road’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.Sheik Ali Hussein, the SoI leader for Salman Pak and al Bawi, opened his home for a luncheon attended by the more than 150 guests after the ceremony.“We are finally to the point where we can come to an event and see Sunni and Shia sheiks working together to secure their country,” said the 1-15th Inf. Regt. Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Moore, from Waverly Hall, Ga.Company B, 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007. Sheiks and civic leaders from Dura'iya and Salman Pak, Iraq, gather prior to the reopening of Checkpoint 600 and the road to Salman Pak to al Lej, Feb. 29. Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment Soldiers place steel pickets at Checkpoint 600 near Salman Pak, Iraq, prior to the reopening ceremony attended by more than 150 coalition and Iraqi security forces personnel and Sons of Iraq, as 1-15th Inf. Regt. Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Moore, from Waverly Hall, Ga., looks on, Feb. 29. Brig. Gen. Aamir, commander of the 1st Brigade, 1st National Police Division, Lt. Col. Razzak, the Salman Pak chief of police, Sheiks Ali Hussein and Karin, Sons of Iraq leaders from Salman Pak and Dura'iya, Iraq, respectively, speak to Iraqi media about the importance of the opening of the Salman Pak to al Lej road, prior to cutting the ribbon, Feb. 29. Sheik Ali Hussein, leader of the Salman Pak Sons of Iraq, hosted a luncheon for 150 coalition and Iraqi security forces leaders and Sons of Iraq members who attended the Checkpoint 600 and Salman Pak to al Lej road reopening celebration, Feb. 29. Checkpoint 600 and the road had been closed since last May. Members of the Duraiya Sons of Iraq group provide security along the Salman Pak to al Lej, Iraq, road, near Checkpoint 600, during the reopening ceremony, Feb. 29. The road and checkpoint were closed to the public after a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb there, killing seven Iraqi national policemen in May. Sgt. Adam Hedrick, an infantryman with the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, from Corona, Calif., pulls security during the reopening ceremony of the road connecting Salman Pak and al Lej, Iraq, Feb. 29. The road was closed to the public after a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb at a checkpoint killing seven Iraqi national policemen last May. The commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, and the commander of Company B, Capt. Rich Thompson, from West Palm Beach, Fla., arrive at the reopening ceremony of Checkpoint 600 and the road connecting Salman Pak and al Lej, Iraq, Feb. 29.

14. CLC Kill Two Insurgents, Detain One at Checkpoint FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Concerned Local Citizens program members manning a checkpoint in the village of Al Quali, outside of Combat Outpost Cahill, killed two insurgents and detained one after being attacked during a routine vehicle search Jan. 16.According to 1st Lt. Matt Barwick, from Lanham, Md., fire support officer for Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, approximately five CLCs stopped a white truck, with three individuals inside, at a checkpoint. After searching the vehicle, the team discovered improvised explosive device materials in the bed of the truck. The CLCs were attempting to detain all three suspects when one of the men pulled a grenade out of his pocket and threw it at the CLCs, Barwick explained.The CLCs retaliated with small-arms fire, Barwick said. Approximately 35 CLCs from surrounding checkpoints heard the incident and ran to help. Two of the three insurgents from the truck were killed. The CLCs detained the remaining insurgent and brought him to COP Cahill where they described the attack to leaders of Company B. Three of the CLCs were treated by 1-15th Inf. Regt. medical personnel for minor injuries obtained during the attack.Soldiers from 1st platoon, Company B, went to the site to assess the report. They called in the 789th Ordnance Company (Explosives Ordnance Disposal) which removed the explosives from the truck bed and destroyed them. Barwick said the event is significant because the CLCs took complete charge of the situation. Since the CLC group was established in the area, they would call Company B and identify insurgent activity, but would not directly approach suspects.“It wasn’t until (now) that the CLCs volunteered to detain insurgents in their own village,” Barwick said. “The fact that Coalition Forces reacted so quickly shows the CLCs they have the support to continue to protect their communities.”Barwick said the event also sends a message to insurgents.“It shows that the CLCs aren’t afraid to police their own villages,” he said. “Every time they get someone, they are more motivated to clear out the bad people in their communities.”Company B later confirmed that the two killed insurgents and one detainee were involved in emplacing an IED and destroying a guard tower at a CLC checkpoint.The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, assess the vehicle that was involved in an attack at a Concerned Local Citizen program checkpoint in the village of Al Quali Jan. 16. SFC Demonica Johnson, from Dallas, Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, looks through his night-vision during the assessment of an attack at a Concerned Local Citizen program checkpoint in the village of Al Quali Jan. 16. Capt. Shawn Thompson, physician assistant in the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and Spc. Courtney Watts, from Chicago, a 1-15th Inf. Regt. medic, treat a Concerned Local Citizen program member for wounds obtained during an attack at a checkpoint, Jan. 16, in the village of Al Quali.

15. CLCs Provide Vital Information on Insurgents, Weapons By Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT Public AffairsFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Using information provided by Concerned Local Citizens, Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion,15th Infantry Regiment, killed two insurgents, seized a weapons cache and destroyed an enemy stronghold during a nighttime air assault in Al Bawi, a small village outside of Salman Pak, Dec. 11.The cache contained mortars, grenades, improvised weapon making materials and an unknown explosive compound.“The Soldiers performed well,” said Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Blount, from Hampton, Va., the scout platoon sergeant, Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt. “They executed the plan as we rehearsed it. The biggest part of this and every other mission is the rehearsal. I tell my guys, ‘This isn’t our first air assault, but treat it like it is. Every mission is different. Don’t get complacent’.” Insurgents had been using the farmhouse of a displaced family to stage attacks on Coalition Forces and rival insurgent factions. At the direction of the Company B commander, Capt. Rich Thompson, from West Palm Beach, Fla., Soldiers from Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery, fired three 210mm rockets from an M270 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System to destroy the building with the cache inside. The 2-4th FA is out of Fort Sill, Okla.“This air assault helped us support the Concerned Local Citizens and will help them occupy check points,” said Capt. Todd Barrett, from Huntington Beach, Calif., the scout platoon leader in Headquarters Company, 1-15th Inf. Regt. “These checkpoints will help control extremist activity.” Battalion leaders expressed their satisfaction with the successful mission.“Our operations are having a profound impact on our area of operations and the extremist who try to operate within the area, said Maj. Steven Delgado, from Los Angeles, the 1-15th Inf. Regt. executive officer. “We have greatly reduced the number of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) within Task Force 1-15’s area of operations, detained or killed many extremist leaders, market areas are thriving and people are no longer afraid to leave their homes.” The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March. Capt. Todd Barrett, from Huntington Beach, Calif., the scout platoon leader in HHC, left, speaks with Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Blout, from Hampton, Va., the platoon sergeant of the scout platoon, during an air assault in Al Bawi, Iraq, a small village outside of Salman Pak, Dec. 11. During the mission, 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers killed two insurgents, seized a weapons cache and destroyed an enemy stronghold. Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, prepare to enter a building during an air assault in Al Bawi, Iraq, a small village outside of Salman Pak, Dec. 11. The building, which was later destroyed by rockets called in by Company B Soldiers, was an abandoned farmhouse being used by insurgents to stage attacks on Coalition Forces. Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, pull security during an assault in Al Bawi, Iraq, a small village outside of Salman Pak, Dec. 11. During the mission, 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers killed two insurgents, seized a weapons cache and destroyed an enemy stronghold that was being used by insurgents.

16. By Spc. Ben Hutto 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Some units might have been discouraged by the way the mission went. For four hours, Soldiers in 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment patrolled up and down the streets of Jisr Diyala. They moved slowly, making sure their Mine Resistant Armor Protected vehicle didn’t pull down one of the hundreds of low-hanging telephone and power lines that stretched across each street like black vines. After searching several homes and abandoned warehouses, the weapon cache they were looking for never materialized. For many in the platoon, it was just another day on the job.“It’s kind of like going fishing; sometimes you catch something and sometimes you don’t,” said Pfc. Darrell Deshotel, from Oakdale, La., an infantryman in 3rd Platoon. “We’ll get it next time.”The platoon has conducted hundreds of combat patrols in Jisr Diyala since Company D assumed responsibility of its battle space in March.“Jisr Diyala is a very fragile area because we can’t be over-aggressive there, but we can’t be too slow, either,” said Sgt. 1st Class Donal Mathena, from Phenix City, Ala., platoon sergeant of 3rd Platoon. “We are very cautious there. Since the ceasefire, the people there seem to be waiting. It’s hard to tell what they are thinking. They could be waiting for the ceasefire to be lifted or they could be waiting for us to clean up their streets. It’s hard to tell which, to be honest.”Despite the uncertainty in Jisr Diyala, 3rd Platoon continues to conduct aggressive offensive operations when necessary.“We’ve grabbed every HVI (high value individual) and insurgent leader that has tried to operate there and haven’t lost one guy doing it,” Mathena said. “The platoon has done a good job. Instead of picking a target house, going in and ripping it apart, we have done a lot of knock and search operations. Our Soldiers have been very respectful and I think the locals respond favorably to that. We don’t allow cowboy actions in this platoon. Our guys aren’t reckless. They stay professional at all times.”For many of the younger Soldiers, their current mission isn’t what they expected. They had heard stories from more experienced Soldiers in 1-15 Inf. Regt. about gun battles and air assault missions. Mathena stresses to them that their current mission, while not as exciting, is just as important. “This is my third deployment,” he said. “I’ve been involved in countless engagements and in past deployments saw little come from them. You talk to anyone of my guys that have been over here more than once and they will tell you that this is the best operation they have been involved in. The Iraqi people are standing up for themselves. In the past, that wasn’t always the case. I can finally see a way out, the way things are going. Things are looking up. I can say this is the most rewarding deployment I’ve done. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment, not in terms of medals or awards, but in terms of accomplishing our mission and making things over here better.” To his younger Soldiers, or “first-timers” as he likes to call them, Mathena motivates and assures them that their service is just as important without firefights.“What we trained them to do was based on what we were doing last deployment,” he said. “It’s different this time, but they have to realize that everything they do is a ‘Soldier’s job’. There is no such thing as a tanker’s job or a scout’s job anymore. What you are trained for isn’t necessarily what you will be doing.”1st Lt. Benjamin Hooker, from Shelby, Mich., platoon leader of 3rd Platoon, is proud of the way his senior non-commissioned officers have handled the platoon.“They have got our Soldiers operating within our commander’s intent,” he said. “They have been operating flawlessly in a sometimes fragile environment. I feel they are all very professional Soldiers that deserve a lot of credit. I couldn’t ask for a better group.”Hooker said the senior NCOs have been very effective in leading troops out in the field.“The veterans have tactical patience,” he said. “They have waited for things to develop where a lot of the younger Soldiers would have rushed in.”Being patient and thorough has helped the platoon find three important caches, including one in Jisr Diyala.“Every time we have rolled out and snatched up an HVI or a cache, it felt good,” Deshotel said. “We make a difference out here every day. Our company set up the first Sons of Iraq program in 3rd Brigade’s AO (area of operations). We have gotten every HVI that has tried to operate here.”These accomplishments are important to Mathena, but he is most proud of the things in his battle space that don’t make headlines.He points out that improvised explosive device attacks are down. He explains that bullets haven’t been needed by his Soldiers to accomplish their missions. He believes his Soldiers have made a positive impact on everyone they encounter.“How are we gauging success in Iraq?” he said. “Do you gauge it by how much violence and action you are seeing in your AO or do you measure it by how peaceful your area is? Do you measure it by how many shots are fired or how many projects you set up? I’m proud of everything my guys have done here because at the end of the day, they did their job and helped the people here.” Company D Keeps the Peace in Jisr Diyala As the Soldiers in his platoon provide security, Spc. David Bougourd, from Newnan, Ga., an infantryman in 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, pries open a door to a warehouse in Jisr Diyala, Iraq, Feb. 9. 1LT Benjamin Hooker, from Shelby, Mich., platoon leader of 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and SFC Donal Mathena, from Phenix City, Ala., platoon sergeant of third platoon, brief their Soldiers before a mission at Combat Outpost Cashe, Iraq, Feb. 9. Soldiers in 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, search through high grass for weapons caches during a search operation in Jisr Diyala, Iraq, Feb. 9. Soldiers in 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, move debris as they look for weapons caches during a search operation in Jisr Diyala, Iraq, Feb. 9.

17. By Spc. Ben Hutto 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry DivisionFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – The Concerned Local Citizens program in Al Ja’ara continues to add members as Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and the Iraqi national police assist the community with security.“We have 362 registered members in Al Ja’ara and we expect that 100 more will be joining next week,” said Capt. Richard Thompson, from West Palm, Fla., the commander of Company B. “The program is doing really well.”Thompson said he is using the group as an example to other towns in their area of operation. On Nov. 8, he set up a meeting between leaders in Salman Pak and the CLCs so his concerned citizen partners could explain how the program has benefited the people in Al Ja’ara.“We wanted the local Iraqi leadership to talk amongst themselves and see the benefits of the program,” he explained. “We want to help the guys over in Company A, who are working in Salman Pak, because we see how the program has made our area safer.”Capt. Steve Hemmann, from Des Peres, Mo., the executive officer of Company B, has watched the program grow from its beginning stages.“We started with 25 people with reflective belts standing at checkpoints,” Hemmann said. “We now have over 300 men in full uniforms. The people there (Al Ja’ara) are excited.”Thompson explained that before Company B started operating in Al Ja’ara the area was plagued by al-Qaida and extremist activity. The two elements used kidnappings and shootings to control the area.“There was a lot of Sunni and Shia sectarian violence,” Thompson said. “Along the river (the Tigris River) was really bad and many of the routes were littered with IEDs (improvised explosive devices). There were constant small arms battles between extremist factions. It was just a bad area.”With the help of the NP, Company B has worked to steadily improve the area and make it more secure.“We have slowly worked through all the problems here,” Thompson said. “We started giving food and water to some villages and started our first Concerned Local Citizens group. Gradually, the other villages in the area wanted the same things. It just grew from there.”In addition to more security, the program is also helping the local economy by providing more jobs. “We are paying independent contractors to help build up force protection at the checkpoints,” he said. “The contractors we are hiring will be using labor from the villages and the concerned citizens will be guarding them. This is a good example of how the economy of the area will benefit from the group. Everything is going back into the community.” As the area becomes more secure, Hemmann believes that local citizens will go out and do more shopping.“We just need to keep the area secure so they have freedom of movement,” Hemmann said. “When people aren’t worried about their safety they can concentrate on things like shopping and their businesses. Everything builds off security.”Tips provided by the CLCs have led to more security. Hemmann explained that the locals’ knowledge of the area has been invaluable in helping Company B track down extremist elements.“The people there know the area better than we do,” he said. “They know when insurgents are moving in and out of the area before we do. As we continue to build up the force protection down there, we will see an even bigger concerned citizen contribution.”“Insurgents don’t have sanctuary down there anymore,” Hemmann continued. “There are eyes out there watching their movements and disrupting their plans.”In Thompson’s mind, the number of arrests in Al Ja’ara speaks volumes on how much security has improved thanks to the group.“We have arrested 30 to 40 Shia extremists and at least five al-Qaida extremists,” Thompson said. “The information we are getting to get these guys is coming from concerned citizens.”Thompson explained that as security has improved, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team has worked to provide Al Ja’ara with more essential services.“When we first started going into the area, one of the first things they wanted was a medical clinic,” Thompson said. “We explained we had to secure the area or it would just become a target. We are now working to get it set up. Our goal is to provide more essential services. Once the citizens here get those, they won’t want to give them up and it will feed itself and grow.”Another ongoing Company B project is digging more wells for the villages in Al Ja’ara.“We want to give them wells, rather than continually giving them bottled water,” Thompson said. “When we leave, we want the people here to still have a permanent water source. We have one well project approved and we have more in the works.”Thompson believes that Al Ja’ara has turned a corner in its development and is improving because of the CLCs.“We always go out on patrols together,” he said. “Thanks to them, we get at least one extremist arrest a week. They are working hard to help clean up this area. As bad as Al Ja’ara was when we got here, the program has helped us improve the area and made it more secure.”The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March. Concerned Local Citizens Flourish in Al Ja’ara Capt. Richard Thompson, from West Palm, Fla., the commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, talks with civic leaders in Salman Pak to discuss the Concerned Local Citizens program and its success in Al Ja’ara, Nov. 8. Civic leaders from Salman Pak meet with Concerned Local Citizens from Al Ja’ara and leaders from the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment to discuss the program and its success in Al Ja’ara, Nov. 8. Capt. Richard Thompson, from West Palm, Fla., the commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment (left), and Lt. Col. Jack Marr, Minneapolis, the commander of the 1-15th Inf. Regt., talks with civic leaders in Salman Pak to discuss the Concerned Local Citizens program and its success in Al Ja’ara, Nov. 8.

18. Council Brings Significant Change to Salman Pak Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs OfficeFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Leaders of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment attended a Salman Pak council meeting, Feb. 11, with 20 members of the acting council to discuss ways to rebuild and improve Salman Pak.“There has been no legitimate council in Salman Pak since 2005,” explained Capt. Matthew Givens, from Columbus, Ga., projects officer for 1-15 Inf. Regt. “In June and July we were meeting with three members of the old council but the meetings were very basic. We talked about what was going on in the city.”Givens explained Salman Pak officials did not participate in the 2005 council elections due to security issues. Because of this, they were no longer recognized as an official council by the government of Iraq. When Givens and leaders of the 1-15 Inf. Regt. met with the three members of the former council, their main concerns were freedom of movement within the city, and re-establishing the area’s public services and organizations.During that time, the local National Police had no place to live and work so they had no choice but to occupy schools, hospitals, libraries and other municipal buildings in Salman Pak, Givens said. This caused problems because the structures could not open for public use. “Every building they occupied became a target,” Givens said, “not because of the building itself, but because the insurgents were targeting the National Police.”The three members met with Givens until last September when one of the members was killed. The message from the insurgency was, “you’ll be next,” Givens said.Although it was a tragic event, Givens believes the outcome was positive. “Out of that, the old chairman stepped up,” he said. “He took charge and he’s been working with us ever since. He is the primary reason we have this many people working with us now. He kept this going in a dark time and brought it back to life.”Currently, 20 Salman Pak leaders are members of the area council. Since the Sons of Iraq took over security, Givens said Salman Pak and the surrounding areas are safe.Because security has improved in Salman Pak, Givens said council members are able to primarily focus on central services. “Things are starting to happen on their own without us doing anything,” Givens said. The GoI is already supporting the city. Givens explained fuel stations are now receiving fuel shipments and the local bank has reopened and is receiving shipments of money.“That’s why all the shops are open again,” Givens said. “There was no paper money in the city before because all the old paper money had been used so much it was falling apart. The council has returned to Salman Pak and with them they bring services to help the city grow.”The council is still not official; however, Givens said the GoI will hold a Salman Pak council election in the near future.“They are standing on one leg now,” he said. “After they get elected, established and supported by the government, they will continue to move forward.”The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March. Leaders of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, sit with three members of the former Salman Pak Council, July 12. Capt. William Clark, from Prairie Du Chien, Wis., commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, sits at the head of the room during a meeting with members of the acting Salman Pak council in August. Twenty members of the Salman Pak council meet to discuss ways to rebuild and improve the city, Feb. 11.

19. Infantry Leaders Attend Iraqi Holiday Feast COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq – Soldiers and leaders of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, attended an Iraqi holiday feast at the home of the head sheik of the Mada’in Qada, Sheik Nouri, Dec. 27, in Al Ja’ara.Before the feast, leaders of the Concerned Local Citizens program, Iraqi security forces, 1-15 Infantry Regiment, and village leaders held a meeting to discuss future operations and progress Al Ja’ara and the surrounding areas. “We specifically talked about recent incidents in the Al Bawi and Wardyah areas,” said , said Capt. Stephen Hemmann, Des Peres, La., executive officer of Company B, 1-15 Inf. Regt.While the leaders were inside Nouri’s house conducting the meeting, the Sheik’s family was outside preparing a holiday feast, a meal in honor of Christmas and the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha.“The food was outstanding,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Jemison, from New Orleans, platoon sergeant for 1-15 Inf. Regiment’s command security detachment, “It built a rapport between coalition forces and the locals. Sheik Nouri preparing this meal shows he wants progress in his village and in the Mada’ in overall.”Hemmann explained the feast was a huge demonstration of the progress being made regarding the relationship between Sunni and Shia present in the Mada’in Qada.“Both Sunni and Shia were present,” he said. “The Concerned Local Citizens (program members) were breaking bread with the national police and there was no violence.”Capt. Rich Thompson, West Palm Beach, Fla., commander of Company B, 1-15 Inf. Regt., is pleased with the progress of the security in the area and the relationships between the security forces and locals. “Security is going well in the area,” he said. “We’ve created opportunity for local businesses, families have moved back into the area; the national police and the Concerned Local Citizens (program members) are working together to prevent al-Qaida and insurgents to work there. People are now able to safely travel from Baghdad to Salman Pak.”The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. Family members of Sheik Nouri, head sheik of the Mada'in Qada, prepare a holiday feast at his house in Al Ja'ara, Iraq, Dec. 27, as local leaders and members of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, hold a meeting inside. LTC Jack Marr, center, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, his translator, left, and Capt. Rich Thompson, from West Palm Beach, Fla., commander of Company B, eat a holiday feast at the home of Sheik Nouri, head sheik of the Mada'in Qada, Dec. 27, in Al Ja'ara, Iraq. LTC Jack Marr, left, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Capt. Rich Thompson, West Palm Beach, Fla., commander of Company B, 1-15 Inf. Regt., and Capt. Steven Hemmann, from Des Peres, La., executive officer of Company B, eat a holiday feast at the home of Sheik Nouri, head sheik of the Mada'in Qada, Dec. 27, in Al Ja'ara, Iraq. 1LT J.P Stegman, Spartanburg, S.C., a platoon leader in Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Wright, from St. Louis, a platoon sergeant in Company B, eat a holiday feast at the home of Sheik Nouri, head sheik of the Mada'in Qada, Dec. 27, in Al Ja'ara, Iraq.

20. Partners Disrupting Flow of Accelerants By Maj. Joe Sowers 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public AffairsFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment have new partners in their efforts to stop the flow of accelerants (used in making explosives) into Baghdad.The 2nd Battalion, Wassit Emergency Response Force (ERF), is now working alongside its coalition counterparts from the “Dragon Battalion” to establish traffic control points to disrupt the flow of bomb-making material along major thoroughfares southeast of Baghdad.The 1-15th Inf. Regt., 2nd (Heavy) Brigade Combat Team, deployed to Iraq in March 2007 and immediately established combat outposts among the communities southeast of Baghdad. As a part of the surge, the Soldiers of 1-15th Inf. Regt. assumed the mission of hindering the flow of insurgents and bomb-making material as they moved north. Capt. John Horning, commander, Company C, said when the 1-15th Inf. Regt. began conducting missions in early April, traffic control points along the Al Kut Highway were nothing more than “traffic observation” points. The 3rd platoon of Company C has joined with the ERF to along the Al Kut Highway, near Wahida. The Al Kut highway is lined with businesses in many places and contains key commercial zones in the infantry, soldiers’ area of operations. The road has also seen the highest number of roadside bombs in the battalion’s area of operations.The ERF, also known as the “Lions of Wassit,” bring experienced leaders and soldiers onto the coalition team. Horning said many of the Lions are former Iraqi army paratroopers. Soldiers of the unit maintain higher standards of discipline than many other ISF units and are very well trained, he said.“They don’t lack motivation, and they don’t lack individual skills,” Horning said. “They are … fearless.”Sgt. 1st Class Scott Darnell, 3rd platoon sergeant, Company C, concurs.“They weren’t the regular soldiers under Saddam’s regime,” said Darnell. “The tactics they use are a little more advanced than what we see with the regular Iraqi security forces.”Horning thinks the success of the Lions can easily be seen.“The best evidence of their success is how quiet it has been along the Al Kut Highway in our area,” Horning said. “All the EFPs (explosively formed penetrators) that we have seen have been outside of their area of operations.”Besides hindering terrorist activity, the combined traffic control operations provide an opportunity for 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers and ERF personnel to work together and learn from each other. The Company C initiative is focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of traffic control points conducted by the ERF.Horning believes that while the ERF soldiers possess individual skills above their ISF peers, he also sees where the unit can improve as a whole. Horning said battalion-level planning and “conditions setting” would be areas in which he would like to see the Lions improve. Even with some deficiencies, Horning said he thinks the ERF help his company greatly.“Their ability to gather human intelligence is way beyond ours,” said Horning. “We rely on technology and they bring the human element. They complete the puzzle.” SFC Scott Darnell, 34, native of Greenwood, Ind., the 3rd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment platoon sergeant, discusses traffic control point operations with a national policemen during a break at a traffic control point along the Al Kut Highway southeast of Baghdad.

21. Shakat Leaders Hold Reconciliation Meeting By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd HBCT Public AffairsFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Leaders of Shakat, a primarily Sunni village north of Haria, met with leaders of the local nahia government and leaders of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Jan. 4, to discuss reconciliation.According to Capt. John Horning from Houston, Texas, commander of Company C, the meeting was the first of its kind to reintegrate the Sunni population into the nahia government. “Sectarian violence prevented the Sunnis from leaving their area and coming to the nahia council meetings,” Horning said. Horning said the violence and the Sunnis’ inability to travel hindered more than just their seat on the council. “It was bad for the economy too,” he said. “They couldn’t travel into town. They couldn’t buy or sell anything in the market.”Council president Juwad al-Shimmari, a Shia representative, sat in on the meeting and listened to concerns from the Sunni citizens who attended. Horning said some Sunnis believe there are false arrest warrants issued for Sunni leaders. This is one reason they are hesitant in traveling outside of their communities. Horning said the first meeting was a chance to break the ice. The group agreed to hold similar meetings in the future. “My hopes are for the Sunnis to eventually be able to take part in the government and the economy,” Horning said. “Also, to re-establish trust and rebuild bridges between the Sunnis and the Shias. Before the war, they weren’t really concerned with who was Sunni and who was Shia.”The meeting concluded with Juwad and the sheiks thanking each other for their open-mindedness and understanding of each other’s positions.Company C, 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. Capt. John Horning from Houston, commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, local leaders and city council members attended a meeting Jan. 4 in Shakat. Capt. John Horning from Houston, commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, enjoys a traditional Iraqi meal during a meeting Jan. 4 in Shakat. Soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, enjoy a traditional Iraqi meal during a meeting Jan. 4 in Shakat. Local leaders and city council members attended a meeting Jan. 4 in Shakat.

22. Sons of Iraq Identify Three Caches; Report to Coalition Forces By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs OfficeFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, with assistance from the Sons of Iraq, found three weapons caches Feb. 21 in Duraiya and Khanassa, south of Salman Pak. Sgt. Joe Vasquez, from Los Angeles, Company B, said members of the SoI assisted Company B Soldiers in identifying two weapons caches. The two caches contained 11 mortar rounds, one artillery round, one body armor vest, one DSHKA heavy machine gun, three DSHKA upper receivers, three rocket propelled grenade launchers and 160 mortar fuses.The same day, a village leader informed Soldiers of an additional cache.That cache consisted of four 60 mm mortars, four 155 mm rounds, one cylinder of homemade explosives and one propane tank of homemade explosives.Coalition forces had little presence in areas south of Salman Pak before Jan. 28 and 29 when 1-15 Inf. Regt. Soldiers conducted a two-day operation to establish SoI checkpoints and disrupt insurgent networks operating in the area.During the mission, Company A, 1-15 Inf. Regt., leaders enrolled citizens into a local SoI program.Company B Soldiers moved into Combat Outpost Carver near Duraiya, south of Salman Pak, mid-February. Since then, Soldiers have made various trips into villages providing humanitarian assistance, said 1st Lt. Matt Barwick, from Lanham, Md., Company B effects coordinator.Barwick said the commander of Company B, Capt. Rich Thompson, from West Palm Beach, Fla., accompanied by Soldiers from the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, from Knoxville, Tenn., delivered items like food, water and cooking supplies to villagers.“At first, we were getting mixed responses about us being there,” Barwick said. “Now, the local leadership is actually excited about it.”Thompson agreed.“Initially they were hesitant,” Thompson said. “We were doing mostly kinetic operations there. Now we are going out and mingling with the people. Slowly but surely, things are getting better.”Thompson said village leaders now feel comfortable enough to visit Company B leaders at COP Carver. They discuss the needs of local citizens and the Iraqis give Soldiers information regarding the whereabouts of al-Qaida members and weapons caches.“In nine days we have uncovered six caches,” Thompson said. Barwick said Company B is planning area projects. A local bridge is slated for repair and power lines will be secured so the Ministry of Electricity can facilitate repairs.The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March. A Soldier from 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment measures a weapon found in a cache Feb. 21 in Khanassa, Iraq. Soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, with assistance from the Sons of Iraq, found a weapons cache Feb. 21 in Khanassa, Iraq. Soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, with assistance from the Sons of Iraq, found a weapons cache Feb. 21 in Khanassa, Iraq.

23. Sunrise Missions Lead to Improvements in Al Bawi Story and photos by Sgt. Natalie RostekCOMBAT OUTPOST CAHILL, Iraq – Soldiers and leaders of Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, visited Sons of Iraq members at checkpoints, Feb. 6, in al Bawi village.According to Capt. William Clark, from Prairie Du Chien, Wis., commander of Company A, Soldiers had executed similar missions in the past and come under attack by small arms and improvised explosive devices. The past three visits to SoI checkpoints in al Bawi were peaceful, he said.Company A arrived in the al Bawi area, northwest of Salman Pak, April, 2007. During the first six weeks at COP Cahill Clark said unit Soldiers were patrolling the streets seven days a week. The Soldiers encountered their first IED strike during May 2007 and since then, IED strikes and indirect and small arms fire attacks were common.Clark noticed a significant change in the security of the area starting in early November. He attributes this turnaround to 563 members of the SoI patrolling the area and manning checkpoints in al Bawi. He said his main point of contact, Sheik Ali, leader of the SoI in the area, lives in al Bawi.“He went from informing us of AQI leaders and IED emplacers to becoming the public figure for Salman Pak and the Mada’in Qada,” Clark said. “His personal land encompasses a decent part of Al Bawi so most of the Sons of Iraq are his relatives and people from his tribe.”According to Company A, 1st Sgt. Troy Moore, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., the SoI had a choice; they could either side with AQI or they could help coalition forces accomplish their mission of improving security.“Al-Qaida was using fear and intimidation to get their way,” Moore said. “These people are sick of that and are standing up for themselves. The Sons of Iraq program is a way for them to make money to support their families.”Clark explained the SoI program caught on in Salman Pak after succeeding in other areas around the Mada’in Qada.“I believe the program started in (Tuwaitha) and has had a lot of success,” Clark said. “This gave people faith and hope in that it wasn’t just a limited program in one area but that it was all through Iraq.”Clark, Moore, and other Company A Soldiers and leaders visited checkpoints along the route in al Bawi to inspect and assess the progress of the SoI manning the checkpoints.“From what we saw, the checkpoints were fully manned and they had done a great job with the sandbags,” Clark said.Clark meets with the SoI in al Bawi often, he said. The group has found over 40 IEDs and approximately 10 to 15 caches since last November.Moore said meetings like this make it safer for coalition forces to be on the streets. He also believes the personal relationships with the SoI builds confidence in group members.“We have to show that we trust them,” Troy said. “If we don’t, they will ask ‘well why are we even doing this if you don’t trust us?’.”Clark is proud of his Soldiers and the progress they have made in al Bawi. “In the last three months we have seen a significant improvement in Salman Pak,” Clark said. “It has been 14 days since the last fire fight. Since the sunrise missions, things have been relatively quiet. The JSS was receiving small arms fire attacks every day since we got here and there has not been one since Zelig Sunrise (early February). We have found one IED since December. We were finding them every other day.”Company A, 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. 1SGT Troy Moore, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, assesses a bunker at a Sons of Iraq members' checkpoint Feb. 6 in al Bawi, Iraq. Capt. William Clark, from Prairie Du Chien, Wis., commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, talks to Sons of Iraq members about their checkpoints, Feb. 6, in al Bawi, Iraq. Pvt. Ryan Testoni, from Warwick, R.I., Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, provides security, Feb. 6, in al Bawi, Iraq.

24. By Sgt. Natalie Rostek 3rd HBCT Public AffairsFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq –At age 17, most Americans teenagers find themselves faced with the difficult decision of finding a direction for their future. For Shawn O’Farrell that decision was to aid in bettering the future of an entire nation.In September 2004, in the town of Melbourne, Fla., approximately 114 miles north of his home in Palm Beach, O’Farrell raised his right hand and promised himself to the nation by joining the Army. He said his goals were to protect the freedom of his country and his family and to better himself. “I always planned to join, but not as early as I did,” said O’Farrell, a specialist with 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. “But I didn’t graduate high school. I wasn’t applying myself, and I was going down the wrong road.”At the time of his enlistment, O’Farrell needed his mother’s permission to join the Army. The minimum age to join the Army is 17-years-old with parental consent according to Army regulation.“She was nervous,” O’Farrell said, “especially when they handed her the paperwork allowing me to go into combat.”Although he wanted to be a combat engineer like his stepfather, who served in that skill for six years, O’Farrell said the job wasn’t available. He also liked working with computers but a job in communications was also unavailable to him. Finally, after evaluating his choices, O’Farrell enlisted to become a fire support specialist. O’Farrell was assigned to the 1-15th Inf. Regt., 3rd BCT immediately following basic training and advanced individual training. He has been with “Sledgehammer” for all three of his years of service.The unit left for Iraq, January 2005, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III, putting O’Farrell approximately 7,000 miles away from his home and his family. He said it was the first time he had ever been away from home for such an extended period of time.“I felt homesick,” said O’Farrell, who was the youngest 3rd BCT Soldier in Iraq during OIF III. “I was given a hard time about my age. It was jokingly, but it was still a hard time. New to the brigade and the Army, O’Farrell was given the nickname “Pvt. Joe Snuffy” by one of his fellow Soldiers, Spc. Scott Andrews.“(Andrews) took me under his wing,” said O’Farrell. “He would stick up for me when people joked about my age and then turn right around and make jokes,” he continued laughing. “We still keep in touch.”Being young and impressionable and without his mother’s influence, O’Farrell succumbed to peer pressure and picked up a smoking habit. “One of my (leaders) found out that I started smoking and made me report to him and do 20 push-ups every time I picked up a cigarette,” he said laughing.On the positive side, O’Farrell said many of his leaders found his young age an advantage. He said, according to them, his mind was fresh and could be easily molded by his superiors. He was also a quick learner.His first combat experience was beneficial, O’Farrell said. It gave him confidence, maturity and discipline, and he feels it made him a better person. “The experience was a wake up for me,” he said. “It made me grow up fast, and it made the relationship with my mother stronger. My parents were proud, and it felt good knowing I was doing something for my country.”Currently, at age 20, O’Farrell is deployed again with 1-15 Inf., in support of OIF V. In addition to his fire support specialist duties, O’Farrell is now a team leader responsible for leading and training the two Soldiers who serve under him.“It’s difficult because I am younger than the guys that work for me. Sometimes it’s hard for them to respect me,” O’Farrell said.According to Sgt. 1st Class John Behrends, 40, Victorville, Calif., senior fire support non-commissioned officer for 1-15 Inf., O’Farrell uses a nontraditional style of leadership when leading and training his Soldiers.“He leads Soldiers without realizing he’s doing it,” Behrends said. “I love to have him working for me. He has definitely done his part and brings a lot to the team. He has great potential as a leader.” Although his leaders are pushing for him to attend the promotion board and become a non-commissioned officer, O’Farrell feels he needs more job experience to effectively fulfill the duties of a sergeant.“When I am promoted, I want to be more confident that I earned my rank because I know my job,” he explained. “I want my Soldiers to be confident in me.”O’Farrell, who said he enjoys his job and finds gratification from the Army, does not want to make it a career. He plans to get out of the Army, to move to Canada where his girlfriend lives, and to go college for a computer-related degree.Until then, O’Farrell said he will continue to gain military occupational skill knowledge to better serve his Soldiers. Young 1-15 Inf. Soldier in Leadership Position Then Pvt. Shawn O’Farrell, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, is promoted to private first class, Nov. 1, 2005, during Operation Iraqi Freedom III. O’Farrell was the youngest Soldier serving the 3rd HBCT during OIF III, turning 18-years-old May 10, 2005. Spc. Shawn O’Farrell, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, talks with Sgt. 1st Class Ken Reedze, 36, Lakeview, Ore., a fire support non-commissioned officer who works with O’Farrell.

25. 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers Test Their Confidence “You already know the answers,” Camp said. “After they judge you on your facing movements, you sit down, and you’re good. And my bio, well, it’s my bio. I know my life.”Memorizing the study guide will help in the board but quick answers are not the only things board members are looking for when choosing who will be promoted or receive the title Soldier of the Month or Non-commissioned Officer of the Month.“Self-confidence is the main thing I look for,” said 1st Sgt. Arvento Collins, from Wilson, N.C., Company B, who was a member of the board. “Boards show a Soldier’s character. They should demonstrate their leadership instilled in them. What is most important is that Soldiers know the Soldier’s Creed and for NCOs, same thing, the NCO creed. They are like our bibles. From the first to the last paragraphs, it’s how we, as Soldiers, live.”Staff Sgt. William Fields, from Chicago, Company E, who sponsored Camp, said he stresses the importance of confidence and knowing the Noncommissioned Officer Creed and the Soldier’s Creed, two requirements on almost every board.“NCOs have to show confidence,” he said. “If you don’t have confidence, Soldiers are not going to follow you. I also quiz my Soldiers on why they want to be an NCO. That’s important.” Collins said boards are like real life by presenting stressful situations and the Soldier is being judged on how they react. “If you can’t maintain your military bearing in a board, how are you going to act out in real life?” he said. Agreed on by leaders like Collins, Edwards and Fields, demonstrating confidence is extremely important when going to the board; however, some Soldiers say it is the most difficult.“Being confident in the board is the hardest part,” Rowser said. “There are a lot of high-ranking people in there, and they are all looking at you. You don’t want to be nervous ‘cause then your legs start shaking. You have to keep your military bearing.”Collins said that’s where most Soldiers mess up.“Some Soldiers have strayed completely away from military bearing,” he said. “Boards are like first impressions on basic soldiering.”Although many of the subjects at the board are still the same from when Collins and Fields were participants, the Army has adjusted to the times. “Some of the subjects are the same, but the focus on certain areas has changed,” Fields said. “When I went to the board we were still doing Cold War tactics. Now, we are in Iraq and the techniques and tactics have changed.”“Today’s Soldiers use more technology than when I was going to boards,” Collins said. “These new technologies and equipment make better Soldiers and leaders.”Of the 24 Soldiers and non-commissioned officers who participated in the promotion boards, all were promoted to the next rank.Spc. Deesta Sheldon, from Negley, Ohio, Company F, and Sgt. Monuete Baskin, from Phenix City, Ala., Company E, walked away with the titles of Soldier of the Month and Noncommissioned Officer of the Month, respectively. By Sgt. Natalie Rostek3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs OfficialCOMBAT OUTPOST CARVER, Iraq – Their excitement and anticipation was high as Soldiers stood outside their battalion headquarters on March 21, awaiting their turn to participate in one of four boards.The Soldiers attending the boards were from 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. The first group of six sergeants entered the conference room one-by-one. Their intentions were the same: demonstrating to the four board members sitting opposite them why they should be considered for promotion to the rank of staff sergeant. The second group, 18 specialists, had the same intention of getting promoted. They were given the chance to show Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Moore, from Waverly Hall, Ga., 1-15th Inf. Regt., president of the board, and three company first sergeants that they have the confidence, knowledge and ability to join the non-commissioned officer ranks as a sergeant.After a short break, five Soldiers and four non-commissioned officers competed for the titles of Soldier of the Month and Non-commissioned Officer of the Month respectively.“I was so nervous my back was spasming,” said Spc. Michael Teems, from Ringgold, Ga., Company F, 1-15th Inf. Regt., who was the last Soldier to go before the promotion board.“Once you calmed down and started answering the questions right, you did real well,” his sponsor, Sgt. Dustin Granger, from Jamestown, Ohio, told him.Many Soldiers going before a board experience just that: The anticipation leading up to the board is many times more stressful than actually participating.According to Spc. Andrew Camp, from Davie County, N.C., Company E, the more boards you participate in, the easier they become. Camp, who passed the promotion board, has won both the Soldier of the Month and Solider of the Quarter boards in the recent past. He said studying was merely a refresher for what he already knew. “The most studying I did was today,” he explained. “Once you know it, it sticks. If you study too much, you’ll mess up.”Study habits that work for some Soldiers may not work for others. Sgt. Phillip Edwards, from Moss Point, Miss., a petroleum supply specialist in Company F and a board sponsor, said he gives his Soldiers three weeks to prepare.“It’s important to hit them up early with studying,” he said. “I want my Soldiers to learn and retain the information instead of just cramming the night before or the day of the board.”Edwards’ Soldier, Spc. Dariu Rowser, from Demopolis, Ala., explained he studies everything in the U.S. Army study guide until he gets guidance from the board members on what topics they will be focusing on. A memo describing approximately four subjects is distributed to the participants about one week before the board.“I went to the mock board and study groups to get me ready,” Rowser said. “I also went to my squad leader (Edwards) for help.”“In the mock board, he did well,” Edwards said. “In the promotion board, he did outstanding.” Both Camp and Rowser agreed that answering the questions and reciting their biographies are the easiest parts of the board. Sgt Monuete Baskin and Spc Jordan McEvers

26. Gilbert Wins MacArthur Leadership Award Woody said what makes his commander stand out is his ability to listen.“He is very low-key person, but he has the ability to listen and take in information,” he said. “He has been very successful with the local leaders here. He says what he means and means what he says. He never makes promises he can’t keep ... He is just as effective dealing with local leaders as he is in a kinetic operation.”Bell said all the Company D Soldiers like and respect Gilbert.“Everyone loves him,” Bell said. “He has proven to them time and time again that he will make the right decision. He has always been fair when making decisions on rewards and punishments. “That respect and admiration has translated into performance, said Woody.“Our Soldiers have remained professional throughout this deployment,” Woody said. “The locals know we are operating in Jisr Diyala. We treat people with respect. The Soldiers have carried themselves like the professionals they are at all times when we have gone outside the wire. All of local leaders have noticed that. Capt. Gilbert is constantly complimented by them for that.”In turn, Gilbert credited his Soldiers’ performance for the award.“Your men make you who you are as a leader,” he said. “It really isn’t hard to be a company commander when you have Soldiers like we do.”Gilbert’s commander, Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, congratulated him on winning the award. Grigsby won the same award in 1987.“He told me he was proud of me,” Gilbert said. “It meant a lot coming from him. As a former winner of the award, it helped set him up for success. I hope I can emulate him and his success.”Grigsby said Gilbert is deserving of the award.“Brian Gilbert is a combat leader, who always leads from the front and has the mental toughness to deal with the complexities of a COIN (counterinsurgency) fight,” Grigsby said. “Simply put, he is the best.” By Spc. Ben Hutto3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry DivisionFORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Capt. Brian Gilbert, the commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, will receive the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership award in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon on May 13.The award is given annually to the top company-grade officers who demonstrate the ideals of duty, honor and service to country. Gilbert, a native of Boise, Idaho, is one of 14 active duty officers who will receive the award.“I was extremely surprised when I found out I would be receiving the award,” Gilbert said. “I didn’t think I had a chance. It is very humbling to be one of the recipients.”As surprised as Gilbert is to receive the award, his subordinates are not.“I think he is very deserving of the award,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Bell, executive officer of Company D. “He is a great commander. He never loses his cool and is very knowledgeable. He is one of the most technically and tactically proficient officers I’ve ever been around.”Bell, from San Antonio, Texas, credits Gilbert with many of the lessons he has learned during his current deployment.“He has always been available when I have had questions,” Bell said. “When he went home on leave, I had to try and fill his shoes; ‘try’ being the key word. I never realized how hard he worked until I had to do it. I have the utmost respect for him.”First Sgt. James Woody, from Portsmouth, Va., has worked side by side with Gilbert since he took over Company D in September.“When I found out I was coming to Company D, I was excited,” he said.“Everyone I talked to told me how lucky I was to have him as a commander and they were right. We talk about everything and line up our plans. He is great about giving all his leaders the task and purpose, and letting them make their decisions.”Woody described how Gilbert directed his company on March 26 in Jisr Diyala, when they were ambushed during a combat patrol.“He was on the ground with his troops within 15 minutes of them being ambushed,” Woody said. “He was directing five different elements at one time. To listen to it over the radio was amazing. It says something to your troops when their commander is there with them on the ground.”For six hours, Gilbert and his men fought criminals through the streets of Jisr Diyala. At the end of the engagement, 11 enemy fighters were dead and 24 were detained. Three of Gilbert’s men sustained minor injuries and returned to duty.“In my opinion, if you have troops in contact, your place as a commander is out there with them,” Gilbert said. “That is really the only way you can assess what is going on.”Bell chuckled when he heard Gilbert’s explanation.“Capt. Gilbert is born for this fight,” he said. Capt Brian Gilbert, commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, speaks with a local leader following a security meeting in Tameem, Iraq, March 2. Gilbert will receive the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership award in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon on May 13.