Stryker troops assist Iraqis, secure Baghdad neighborhood

Multi-National Forces-Iraq ^

[SandRat]

Cpl. Joseph Casiano, a native of San Antonio, and Spc. David Tunstall, a native of Alexandria, Va., both with Company B, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, search through a bag they found on top of a vehicle in Baghdad Thursday.

BAGHDAD -- The ramp drops, the sun rises and the troops emerge. The missions vary and everyone has a different, but equally important job. The troops on the ground in Baghdad work every job from quick reaction force to humanitarian missions.

The mission for Soldiers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, changes daily. Everyone has a different job in the company - from driver to gunner to dismounted infantry.

Even when they are not on an official mission they wait next to their Stryker vehicles for the call to duty out on the streets securing neighborhoods and assisting the Iraqi security forces at need.

The mission for the company Thursday was to provide an outer cordon in a Baghdad neighborhood for the Iraqi Army. The joint operation joining the two entities would be a search for anti-Iraqi forces and weapons.

Prior to leaving the confines of their base camp, the troops of Company B prepared their equipment and briefed each other to make sure they could successfully assist the Iraqi forces on the ground, said Cpl. Joseph Casiano, a San Antonio

Fourth platoon was doing oversight security on roof tops, while other platoons were assisting the Iraqi troops search houses, said 1st Sgt. Brad Kelley, a native of Grants Pass, Ore.

They didn’t come away empty-handed.

“A cache of 12 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, six grenades and many small arms were found,” said 2nd Lt. Jacob Czekanski, a Silver Creek, N.Y., native. “The mission was accomplished.”

After much preparation and a long day Company B and the Iraqi troops completed their mission, making a Baghdad

“We empowered the Iraqi Army and built their confidence,” Czekanski said. “No one got hurt, so it was a successful day.”

With the mission complete, Co. B and the Iraqi troops parted ways and headed back to their respective base camps to plan and prepare for their next mission together.

(By Army Spc. Shea Butler 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

In other developments throughout Iraq:

• The general responsible for day-to-day operations in Iraq said today that the conflict hinges on closing the gap between the people of Iraq and their fledgling government.  

• The Marines said their first thought was: ‘How can anyone live like this?’ The bunkers at a nearby Iraqi army base are dark, dank and, frankly, uninhabitable -- at least for any long period of time. But live in them the soldiers do, crowded into the concrete rooms, one company per bunker, with no temperature controls and very little light.  

(Photo by Army Cpl. Shea Butler 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment )

[SandRat]

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