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    Sgt. Phillip Beasley (left) and Staff Sgt. Eric Quesnel, tankers with V Corps' A Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division, based in Friedberg, Germany, sit atop "Adam's Revenge," the M1A1 Abrams tank that carried them safely through Iraq. The unit's traditional "Bandits" skull logo on the tank wears an eye patch in further honor of the tank's namesake, the team’s former loader, Sgt. Adam Replogle, whose battlefield injuries included the loss of his left eye. V CORPS TANKERS PUT THEIR FAITH IN ‘ADAM’S REVENGE,’ THE ABRAMS THAT GOT THEM THROUGH IRAQBy Spc. Rebecca BurtV...

  Memorial Dedicated for 1st AD Soldiers Killed in Iraq By John D. BanusiewiczAmerican Forces Press Service WIESBADEN ARMY AIRFIELD, Germany, Oct. 7, 2004 -- On a day when the 1st Armored Division officially welcomes its Operation Iraqi Freedom soldiers home, the division honored its fallen soldiers with a memorial dedication at the parade ground in front of the unit's headquarters here today. The 1st Armored Division dedicated a memorial Oct. 7 to its 130 soldiers killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ceremony was conducted in front of the division's headquarters at Wiesbaden Army Airfield in Germany. Photo by...

NEW YORK (AP) -- The images captured in "VH1 News Presents: Soundtrack To War" combine the use of music by America's soldiers and the unsettling pictures of war. A group of soldiers stand on a rooftop, singing gospel music. Suddenly, bombs explode. Nearby, black smoke rises. A tank crew cranks up a heavy metal song to gear up for combat. Using personal testimonies, the one-hour documentary examines the soldiers' use of music for inspiration, motivation and mourning. The result: a unique look at youth in war. "Soundtrack To War," airing 9 p.m. EDT Wednesday, follows soldiers of the Army's 1st...

  Iron Eagle Express delivers everything but kitchen sinks BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, June 22, 2004) -- Medical supplies, Meals-Ready-to-Eat and mail are now easier to get a hold of thanks to a transportation program that uses helicopters to rapidly re-supply forward-based troops. Dubbed the “Iron Eagle Express,” Division Support Command, Task Force 1st Armored Division, has arranged for a pair of 4th Brigade UH-60s to make daily re-supply runs. The choppers deliver a variety supply to the outlying camps and Forward Operating Bases located south of Baghdad. “As of May 7th, IEX has completed 16 missions, carrying...

Donation to Baghdad R&R site is music to Soldiers’ ears Story and photo by Sgt. Shauna McRoberts 1st Armor Division PAO BAGHDAD, Iraq – When Brian Freshley was 18 months old he picked up a toy tennis racket and tried to play it like a violin, using a plastic golf club as a bow. Amused, his maternal grandmother gave him a violin that once belonged to his grandfather, a World War II veteran. His parents had the violin restored and put it away in a closet until Brian was old enough to play it. But Brian, a native of...

Artillerymen guard governor in NajafBy Sgt. Christopher Stanis May 27, 2004 AN NAJAF, Iraq (Army News Service, May 27, 2004) – A field artillery battery has been tasked with the unique mission of guarding the An Najaf governor’s compound and protecting the governor’s life. “He receives daily assassination threats,” said Capt. Brandon Anderson, commander of Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force 1st Armored Division. “It’s the (Muqtada Militia’s) attempt to undermine the coalition.” Anderson and his men have secured a block around the compound and nearby government buildings. They are assisting the Iraqi Police Service...

TF 1st Armored Division Conducts Offensive OperationsSOUTH CENTRAL IRAQ - Task Force 1st Armored Division conducted offensive operations, dubbed "Operation Iron Sabre," in Karbala, Husaniyah and Kufa May 21 to destroy the militia of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, create safe environments for local businesses, citizens and pilgrims traveling to the holy sites, and facilitate transition to Iraqi Security Forces.  The militia had continued to fight despite calls for their withdrawal made by several Iraqi religious leaders.  In Karbala, Task Force 1-37 Armor captured 10 militiamen. Afterward, local citizens told the task force that the remaining militia fled the city. ...

 Public Affairs May 17, 2004 Sgt. 1st Class Charles Adcock, Task Force 1-37 Armor assistant operations sergeant, walks down the convoy telling Soldiers to mount up after a brief stop just south of Baghdad. Task Force 1-37 Armor convoyed to Camp Lima southeast of Baghdad in support of Operation Rapier Thrust. TF 1-37 Armor moves out to missions Story and photo by Spc. Andrew Meissner, 1st AD Public Affairs With Task Force 1-37, Iraq -- Many of the Solders of the 1st Armored Division’s 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, “Bandits,” are closing in on their first year of deployment during...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2004 MISSION PUTS ENGINEERS OF V CORPS' 1ST ARMORED DIVISION INTO 'GROUND-POUNDER' ROLE By Spc. Andrew Meissner 1st Armored Division Public Affairs Office WITH TASK FORCE 1-37, Iraq –For two successive nights last week, Soldiers of B Company, 16th Engineer Battalion traversed the streets of Karbala in support of Operation Iron Saber. The company is part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team of V Corps' Task Force 1st Armored Division. The first night of operations found the combat engineers setting roadblocks and conducting dismounted security in support of tank, infantry, and air assaults on known militia...

  Three Soldiers Killed in Baghdad By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USAAmerican Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, May 15, 2004 -- Three Task Force 1st Armored Division soldiers were killed in Baghdad over the past 24 hours, Central Command officials reported today. One soldier was killed during a mortar attack on his unit and another died from wounds during a sniper ambush May 14. The third soldier was killed when his vehicle overturned during a patrol shortly after midnight May 15. The names of the soldiers were withheld pending family notification, military officials stated. Also, small skirmishes continued in and...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 May 13, 2004Release Number: 04-05-28 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1ST ARMORED DIVISION CLEARS MOSQUE OF MILITIA KARBALA, Iraq - Soldiers from Task Force 1st Armored Division cleared a building complex used by Muqtada's Militia during a cordon and search operation that began last night and continued into this morning. The operation began at about 11 p.m. Tuesday when elements of Task Force 1-37, 1st Armored Division moved into positions around the 12-building Mukhayam Mosque and shrine complex. Karbala, a Shiite holy...

COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY BRIEFING WITHMAJOR GENERAL MARTIN DEMPSEY, COMMANDER, 1ST ARMORED DIVISION TOPIC: 1ST ARMORED DIVISION OPERATIONS LOCATION: BAGHDAD, IRAQ TIME: 9:58 A.M. EDTDATE: TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2004   GEN. DEMPSEY: Well, good afternoon, and salaam aleikum. I'm Major General Marty Dempsey, and I want to update you on Task Force 1st Armored Division. Next slide, please. If you'll direct your attention on my right, your left, there is a timeline that tells the story of how the 1st Armored Division left Baghdad and ended up where it is today, which I'll discuss in a moment. Essentially the division was in...

Iraqi People Hold Key to Ending Najaf Standoff, General Says By Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, May 11, 2004 -- The best resolution to the standoff in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf will be one orchestrated not by the coalition but by the Iraqi people themselves, the commander of the 1st Armored Division said in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters it's up to Iraq's stakeholders — its tribal leaders, clerics and politicians — to tackle the delicate situation in one of the country's holiest cities. The standoff requires the coalition to walk a...

 Public Affairs April 22, 2004 Division leader explains mission extension to familiesStory and photo by Sgt. Gregory F. Withrow, 1st  AD Public Affairs Office WIESBADEN, Germany --  Iron Spouses and family members, anticipating the announcement extending their loved-ones in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, gathered throughout the 1st Armored Division’s communities over the past week to discuss issues and have their questions answered. Thursday’s much-anticipated announcement came, sparking a flurry of questions from families about their Soldiers on the ground in Iraq. In order to get the story straight, Maj. Gen. Martin Dempsey, 1st Armored Division Commanding General, sent back...

  Children Lead 1st Infantry Division Soldiers to Cache TIKRIT, Iraq - Task Force Danger Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment discovered a weapons cache consisting of 18 60mm mortar rounds near Kirkuk April 11 at around 9:45 a.m. The Soldiers found the cache after following up on information from some children playing near a Coalition base. The Soldiers have secured and transported the rounds to a storage facility for destruction.Release #040412h http://www.cjtf7.com/media-information/April2004/040412h.htm   Central Command, Task Force 1st Armored Division Staying the CourseBy Sgt. Merrion Lasonde122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Iraq – U.S. forces will remain...

  CENTCOM, Task Force 1st Armored Div.Will Stay the Course in Iraq By U.S. Army Sgt. Merrion Lasonde 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 9, 2004 — U.S. forces will remain in Iraq as long as necessary to bring peace and stability to Iraq according to the commanding generals of the U.S. Central Command and Task Force 1st Armored Division. Speaking at an impromptu press conference following a mission briefing, Gen. John Abizaid, commander, U.S. Central Command, and Maj. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Task Force 1st Armored Division commanding general, addressed the current situation in Iraq April...

  Infantry 'Spartans' Deliver Supplies to Girls' School By Cpl. Benjamin Cossel, USASpecial to American Forces Press Service Baghdad, Iraq, April 2, 2004 – Students of the city's 14th of July Girls' School received an unexpected gift when soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, handed out 500 backpacks loaded with school supplies, candy and other items. Students from the 14th of July Girls' School in Baghdad look over the contents of backpacks donated by soldiers from 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Located in the Rusafa district of...

‘Ready First’ Brigade Artillerymen Adapting to New Missionsby Cpl. Benjamin Cossel, 122nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq – Force protection, information operations and information delivery are not the sort of tasks one typically thinks of when considering the mission of a Brigade Fire Support Element. Just as many Soldiers have done during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division FSE have “adjusted fire” and learned several new missions. Calling for fire support from artillery, naval gunfire, and close air support comprise the doctrinal missions for a FSE. However, with Operation Iraqi Freedom’s major combat operations completed,...

Troops Scour Baghdad’s StreetsDuring Operation Iron Promise   By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Sailer / 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 26, 2004 — In what has become almost a nightly ritual, soldiers from A Troop, 1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, lined up their vehicles on a quiet side street in the sleepy town of Abu Ghuraib just before initiating a cordon and search mission March 17.This time, the “Annihilators” of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Task Force 1st Armored Division, were part of the division-wideOperation “Iron Promise.”Operation Iron Promise is being carried...

Iraqi Air Base Renamed in Honor of Revered NCO TAJI, Iraq — The memory of a 1st Armored Division senior noncommissioned officer's service and sacrifice will live on at one of the U.S. Army’s base camps in Iraq. The former Iraqi Air Force base in Taji was officially renamed Camp Cooke March 23 during a dedication ceremony in honor of Command Sgt. Maj. Eric F. Cooke, 1st Brigade Combat Team command sergeant major. Cooke was killed Dec. 24 during a combat patrol in Baghdad when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.Camp Cooke is one of several Coalition forward...

Ready First’ Brigade Helping Iraq’s Heavy Liftersby Cpl. Benjamin Cossel, 122nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq -- As part of an on-going effort to build a better Iraq, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, has given financial and engineering support to the renovation of the Iraqi Olympic Weightlifting Team’s training facility. Throughout Baghdad, brigade commanders have been tasked to identify projects within their operating areas that would benefit from American or nongovernmental agency financial and engineering support. The Iraqi Olympic Team’s training facilities fall within the “Ready First” Brigade’s purview of the Rusafa and Aadhamiya districts of Baghdad. “When...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 March 24, 2004Release Number: 04-03-47 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OPERATION IRON PROMISE DAY FIVE BAGHDAD, Iraq -Task Force 1st Armored Division soldiers captured 12 individuals suspected of planning attacks on Coalition forces March 22, day five of Operation Iron Promise. Iron Promise is a TF 1 AD operation targeting former regime elements andother extremists who pose a threat to the Iraqi people and stand in the way of a new Iraq. In addition, TF 1AD soldiers confiscated three AK-47s, 19 rocket-propelled...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 March 23, 2004Release Number: 04-03-46 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OPERATION IRON PROMISE DAY FOUR BAGHDAD, Iraq - IRON PROMISE is a Task Force 1st Armored Division operation targeting former regime elements and other extremists who pose a threat to the Iraqi people and stand in the way of a new Iraq. In addition to enemies captured, the Task Force seized 14 AK-47 assault rifles and a pistol, 20 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 30 mortar rounds, 100 mortar fuses and assorted small arms...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 March 21, 2004Release Number: 04-03-42 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Update on Operation Iron Promise, Day 3 BAGHDAD, Iraq - In day three of Operation Iron Promise, Task Force 1st Armored Division continues to target known enemy locations and aggressively carry out cordon and search operations looking for Former Regime Elements and other extremists who pose a threat to the Iraqi people and stand in the way of a new Iraq. The Task Force completed three offensive missions in support of Operation...

Sunday, March 21, 2004 For once, a quiet night in Baghdad for Company B By Kevin Dougherty, Stars and StripesEuropean edition, Sunday, March 21, 2004 Michael Abrams / S&S A young Iraqi boy and girl along with their grandmother watch as their grandfather talks to a soldier while other soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Armored Division search their house during a night-time sweep through a Baghdad neighborhood during Operation Iron Promise. Michael Abrams / S&S Sgt. Will Byrne, right, Company B, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Armored Division and liason...

Operation Iron Promise Begins BAGHDAD, Iraq – Task Force 1st Armored Division and Iraqi Security Forces launched Operation Iron Promise early Wednesday to defeat domestic and international extremists. The operation supports the emerging Iraqi Government and demonstrates the Task Forces’ commitment to the people of Baghdad throughout the transfer of authority with the 1st Cavalry Division. Operation Iron Promise is a city-wide operation involving members of the Iraqi Police Service, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, the Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces. “We will remain on the offensive against extremists, former regime members, terrorists and criminals who are operating against...

  Task Force 1 AD Finance Soldiers Train Iraqi Counterparts BAGHDAD, Iraq - Soldiers from 1st Armored Division's 8th Finance Battalion and the 1st Cavalry Division's 15th Finance Battalion conducted a three-day course to give Iraqi Civil Defense Corps members a lesson in "paying for freedom." The U.S. finance battalions trained dispersing agents, paymasters and fund certifiers. "We're training the ICDC on internal pay operations," said Lt. Col. Stan Brown, the 8th Finance Battalion commander. The ICDC is one facet of Iraq's defense services. It was built from scratch after the fall of the former regime to act as...

Soldier, Iraqi Team Gets 'Beans, Bullets' to the Troops BAGHDAD, Iraq -- American soldiers here of the 501st Forward Support Battalion and Iraqi civilians are working side by side completing missions that influence the readiness of every unit within the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. The 501st FSB's Supply Support Activity is responsible for receiving, processing, issuing and storing parts for the brigade's fleet of vehicles and providing food and water to the BCT's Soldiers. The SSA's wartime mission differs vastly from its garrison mission because it has the monumental and critical task of providing the "beans...

Class Work Complete, ICDC NCOs Ready to Lead BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps officially welcomed its NCO "backbone" during graduation ceremonies for the first Primary Leadership Development Course Thursday. The NCOs completed the first class of the Primary Leadership Development Course conducted in Iraq by the United States Army. The ceremony was held at the Camp Muleskinner, which is home to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's Support Squadron. The regiment is part of Task Force 1st Armored Division. One hundred sixteen ICDC soldiers participated in the historic ceremony. The program followed the U.S. Army's traditional ceremonial...

  1-94 FA Rocketeers Hone MLRS Skills on Butler Range BUTLER RANGE, Iraq - Butler Range near Baghdad had several loud visitors this week as the 1st Armored Division King of Battle flexed some of its biggest muscles during a three-day live-fire exercise. The 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, which is assigned to the 1st Armored Division Artillery Combat Team, rolled its inventory of multiple-launch rocket systems out to the massive firing range north of Baghdad to finalize their months of training. The 1-94 FA is operating in southern Baghdad's Al Rashid district as a maneuver battalion patrolling...

Interrogator’s Goal: Save Lives, Prevent Attacks With Informationby Staff Sgt. Mark Bell, 372nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq – Being able to gather information that helps prevent terrorist attacks against the Iraqi people or coalition forces provides a military intelligence Soldier with the motivation to continually improve. Working behind the scenes, Spc. Daemon Lowell, 22, who calls Virginia Beach home, is a human intelligence collector, more commonly known as an interrogator, assigned to the 1st Armored Division Artillery Combat Team. Lowell is one of several interrogators assisting Soldiers and paratroopers assigned to the DCT with information needed for their missions in...

FOX Teams Bring Versatility to 1st Armored Division’s DIVARTY Combat Teamby Staff Sgt. Mark Bell, 372nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq – American dictionaries defines versatility as, “the ability to do many things.” The 69th Chemical Company’s Reconnaissance (RECON) Platoon exemplifies the word and more. Besides the unit’s doctrinal mission to seek out and detect nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) threats against coalition forces and Iraqi residents in and around Baghdad, the 13 Soldiers assigned to operate the Army’s M 93A1 NBC Reconnaissance System, commonly known as the Fox, have been busy supporting the 1st Armored Division Artillery Combat Team (DCT)...

1st Armored Division Medics Train ICDC Counterpartsby Staff Sgt. Mark Bell, 372nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps took another step toward self-sufficiency when 66 guardsmen recently completed the first combat medic course offered in Iraq. Medics from the 1st Armored Division Artillery Combat Team’s ICDC unit in the Al Rashid district of southern Baghdad now have trained medical specialists. The class covered many of the same tasks found in the U.S. Army’s Combat Lifesaver’s Course. After graduating, 50 of the medics will serve in the individual platoons of the 304th ICDC Battalion, said 1st Lt....

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 February 29, 2004Release Number: 04-02-53 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Task Force 1st Armored Division teaches ICDC BAGHDAD, Iraq - Task Force 1st Armored Division soldiers from the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment began the first Iraqi Civil Defense Corps Primary Leadership Development Course for approximately 100 ICDC noncommissioned officers at Camp Muleskinner here Saturday. The PLDC is designed to build a professional noncommissioned officer corps and follows the "be, know, do" principle. It will reinforce basic soldiering skills such as land navigation,...

Iraqi Citizens Keep Leading U.S. Forces to Weapons and Suspects American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2004 -- Iraqi citizens continue to point U.S. troops to sites where weapons and ammunitions are being found – even in some cases hand delivering turn-in of the deadly munitions. Over the past week there have been at least four incidents where Iraqi civilians have led U.S. troops to hidden stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, coalition officials report. In Mosul, a concerned group of citizens in northwestern Iraq, known as the Coalition of Iraqi Unity, led soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 14th...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 February 27, 2004Release Number: 04-02-49 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1AD SOLDIERS DISCOVER WEAPONS CACHE BAGHDAD, Iraq - Task Force 1st Armored Division soldiers discovered and seized a weapons cache in the Al Rashid district Feb. 24. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, Division Artillery Combat Team were on a routine mounted patrol when they discovered the stockpile. The soldiers found and confiscated 50 122 mm artillery rounds, 36 125 mm artillery rounds, 200 14.5 mm rounds, 10 fuses and...

SECDEF Meets with Task Force 1st Armored Division Soldiers, Views ICDCby Capt. Sean P. Kirley, 2nd ACR Regimental PAO BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The Office of the Secretary of Defense sent word to the military leadership in Iraq earlier this month: The Hon. Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Secretary of Defense, was coming to Iraq, and he specifically wanted to see the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is assigned to Task Force 1st Armored Division The communiqué continued: The Secretary of Defense, in addition to meeting with the Regiment’s troopers, was interested in seeing the Iraqi Civil Defense Academy at Camp Muleskinner....

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 February 25, 2004Release Number: 04-02-44 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TF 1AD CAPTURES THREE SUSPECTED ILLEGAL WEAPONS DEALERS BAGHDAD, Iraq - Task Force 1st Armored Division soldiers from the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted two cordon-and-search operations, capturing three suspected insurgents and several illegal weapons Feb. 20. Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 2nd ACR conducted the operations in the northeast section of Baghdad. They apprehended the three suspects and seized five AK-47 assault rifles, two shotguns, a bandoleer filled with 7.62 mm ammunition...

Task Force 1st Armored Division Captures Two Suspected Illegal-Weapons Dealers BAGHDAD, Iraq - Task Force 1st Armored Division soldiers from the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment apprehended two suspected arms dealers during a reconnaissance operation Thursday. Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 2nd ACR spotted the two suspects while observing a neighborhood market in the northeast section of Baghdad at about 4 p.m. The soldiers apprehended the two suspects and seized an AK-47 assault rifle, three pistols and a rocket-propelled-grenade round. The soldiers took the suspects to the unit's forward operating base for questioning. Release #040223a

U.S. Troops Train Iraqi Civil Defense Corps Soldiers By U.S. Army Spc. Shauna McRoberts1st Armored Div. BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb. 18, 2004 – Soldiers from 1st Armored Division’s 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment are spending the next month training soldiers from the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps. The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps is a home guard consisting of Iraqi citizens who volunteered to serve their nation and fight terrorist insurgents within their homeland.The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers of B and C Company, 304th Battalion, 40th Brigade, originally trained with U.S. soldiers from 82nd Airborne’s 2nd Brigade, but after the brigade...

Task Force 1st Armored Division’s Weather Team Helps Put Steel on Targetby Staff Sgt. Mark Bell, 372nd MPAD BAGHDAD, IRAQ - For three soldiers, having one of the Army's smallest military occupational skills (MOS), and to some, probably the most unknown job supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, can be frustrating and rewarding at the same time. Whether it's the early-morning hours or working by only feel and touch in the late hours of Task Force 1st Armored Division’s muddy forward operating base of Camp Falcon, the three-soldier meteorological (MET) team is on call 24-hours a day to provide vital weather...

Task Force 1st Armored Division Celebrates Completion of Three Major Projects for Communityby Mark S. Rickert, 372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, IRAQ – In the western region of Abu Ghraib, the community has plenty to celebrate. In less than two months, their water is safer to drink, the condition of the mosque is better, and residents now have a medical clinic close at hand. During a ribbon cutting ceremony the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, an Army Reserves unit based in Utica, N.Y., gathered with the residents of a small community within the Abu Ghraib neighborhood district to celebrate...

BAGHDAD — The first part of a painstaking transition from the 1st Armored Division to the 1st Cavalry Division is under way. Members of the 1st Cavalry’s 2nd Brigade Combat team, who arrived last week, already are riding along with 1st AD soldiers to learn the finer points of stability operations in Baghdad. But even before the brigade arrived, it had built on the lessons learned from its predecessors, unit commander Col. Michael Formica said Monday. The 3,000-soldier combat team, called the Blackjack Brigade, brought 90 Abrams M1A2 tanks to Iraq. But it will rely more heavily on its 120...

Sunday, February 1, 2004 1st ID days from deployment in Iraq By Steve Liewer, Stars and StripesEuropean edition, Sunday, February 1, 2004 Steve Liewer / S&S Sgt. Anita Taylor, right, and Sgt. Jayson Essmyer of the 1st Infantry Division's Kitzingen-based 12th Chemical Company, stand at attention shortly before the farewell ceremony Friday in Würzburg, Germany, for the "Big Red One." WÜRZBURG, Germany — With the Würzburg-based 1st Infantry Division just days from deployment to Iraq, senior German leaders bid auf wiedersehen Friday to the “Big Red One” — and urged the United States to leave the unit in southern Germany...

Society for Animal Welfare Opens in Baghdad With Soldiers’ Helpby Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson, 372nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Coalition forces’ contributions to the nation of Iraq are focused toward improving the lives of its citizens. In some cases, however, the benefits are not limited only to humans. With the help of military personnel from 1st Armored Division and V Corps and funding from the 22nd Signal Brigade, Iraqi veterinarians cut the grand opening ribbon at the Iraqi Society for Animal Welfare in central Baghdad Jan 21. The society, made up of military and civilian veterinarians and ministry...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 January 29, 2004Release Number: 04-01-74 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division Hands Off Community to 1st Armored Division Artillery BAGHDAD, Iraq - The 1st Armored Division Artillery accepted authority of the Al Rashid district in southern Baghdad from 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, during a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Falcon Jan. 23. With numerous local District Advisory Council members watching the ceremony, Col. Jon Brockman, DIVARTY commander, accepted the job of helping rebuild Baghdad's southern district...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 January 27, 2004Release Number: 04-01-70 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TASK FORCE 1ST ARMORED DIVISION DOCTORS SHARE MEDICAL EXPERTISE WITH IRAQI COLLEAGUES BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Last week, soldiers from the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment medical team shared their knowledge and expertise with their Iraqi colleagues. Lt. Col. Kelly Murray, the 2ACR Regimental Surgeon and Capt. Evelyn Rodriguez, the 2nd Squadron Medical Officer, guided a group of Iraqi instructors through the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) course. The study covered methods of...

Task Force 1st Armored Division Soldiers Swap Smiles With Orphansby CJTF-7 Public Affairs BAGHDAD, Iraq - Even in a hostile environment where the enemy could be just around the corner, nothing will put a smile on a soldier's face more quickly than little kids. The soldiers of 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Camp Marlboro never pass up a chance to make life just a little bit easier for some of the less fortunate Iraqi children. The 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment supports Task Force 1st Armored Division. Earlier this month, these soldiers visited Al-Rhama's House for...

Task Force 1st Armored Division Prepares Iraqis for Embassy Security Dutiesby Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson, 372nd MPAD BAGHDAD, Iraq – Task Force 1st Armored Division Soldiers are working with the Iraqi people to create a safe and secure environment. Soldiers from the 382nd Military Police Detachment, an Army Reserve unit from San Diego, Calif., have been training Iraqi security officers for the several foreign embassies across Baghdad to ensure the safety of the diplomats visiting and working there. The 382nd is attached to the 18th Military Police and is part of Task Force 1st Armored Division. The security officers,...

USAREUR Public Affairs January 20, 2004 Task Force 1AD screens IPS applicantsStory by Sgt. Mark S. Rickert, 372nd MPAD  BAGHDAD, Iraq – The auditorium at the Iraqi Forum in central Baghdad was bustling Jan. 10 with applicants hoping to join the ranks of the Iraqi Police Service. But before they can attend the police academy, candidates must go through a prescreening process.  This is where 1st Armored Division came in: soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, ran the Iraqi police recruit prescreening.This is the second time the soldiers with the 2nd BCT conducted the prescreening. This time...