Showing posts with label stryker brigade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stryker brigade. Show all posts
Friday, July 10, 2009
Stryker Brigade to Afghanistan
A 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division based out of Fort Lewis, Washington, has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Strykers Gear Up for New Mission in Afghanistan
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2009 - The Army's Stryker armored vehicle will get its first crack at the resurgent Taliban and terrorist strongholds in Afghanistan this summer when the 2nd Infantry Division's 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team hits the ground there.
Army Gen. David D. McKiernan, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, said at a Pentagon news conference yesterday that he specifically requested the Stryker brigade for its versatility.
"I asked for a Stryker capability, with one of the brigade combat teams, so that it could provide the mobility, the situational awareness, the protection," McKiernan said. "And, quite frankly, it provides a lot of infantrymen. And that would give us an ability to maneuver capabilities in the southern and southwestern parts of Afghanistan."
The brigade will bring about 4,000 soldiers and nearly 300 Strykers to the fight in Afghanistan. They will be operating in the country's southern region and along the Pakistan border, areas that don't have a sufficient security presence, preventing governance and infrastructure progress, McKiernan said.
"We need persistent security presence in order to fight a counterinsurgency and to shape 'clear, hold and build' in support of a rapidly developing Afghan capacity," he said, referring to the strategy of clearing an area of insurgents, preventing them from returning, then taking advantage of the improved security to build governance and infrastructure.
The additional troops also will have a dual responsibility in training and organizing Afghan police forces and army, he said. Military leaders there hope to double the size of the Afghan army to 134,000 troops as soon as 2011. Mentoring and training Afghan forces is necessary for success there, the general said.
"Our goal [is] to attempt to accelerate the growth of the Afghan army," McKiernan said. "But we need to do that in a smart way. We need to do it in a holistic way, so it's not just a question of numbers; it's a question of training, equipping, leader development and their employment."
The Army brigade's deployment was officially announced this week as part an additional 17,000 soldiers and Marines President Barack Obama ordered to Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates signed the deployment orders at around 7:25 a.m. on Feb 17, and Obama's announcement was pending notification of the soldiers' and Marines' families, Pentagon officials said.
The Strykers originally were slated for an Iraq deployment this summer, but anticipated the switch "some time ago," a brigade spokesman said yesterday.
Army Maj. Mike Garcia wouldn't give specifics as to when the soldiers were notified of their new Afghanistan mission, but said it was enough time to adjust their training before arriving at the National Training Center earlier this month at Fort Irwin, Calif.
"Their training scenario is focused on an Afghanistan fight," Garcia said. "We knew this some time ago and had enough time to modify the scenario."
The brigade started its training at the National Training Center on Feb. 15, learning the various cultures within Afghanistan. Persian Farsi, Pashto and Urdu are some of the languages and customs they'll get a crash course in. They'll also learn what to expect regarding Afghanistan's mountainous terrain, weather and type of insurgency they may face, based on military experiences there.
Their training will continue through the end of the month, Garcia said.
The Stryker brigade concept has proven successful in urban warfare since it was first introduced to live combat December 2003 in Iraq, but it has never been used in Afghanistan. The Stryker community recognizes the challenges, but is confident in their capabilities.
"Yes, it is a different theater," Garcia said. "Combat is never easy, but they're still prepared, mentally and physically, to go to combat. It's just a different place on the globe to us."
Afghanistan's mountainous and rigid terrain, freezing weather and the freedom of movement insurgents have enjoyed there will be new challenges for the Stryker. There are distinct differences compared to Iraq regarding the terrain and culture, but Garcia said, "the basic tenets and concept of fighting a counterinsurgency remain the same."
"Stryker brigades are very versatile," he said, echoing McKiernan. Strykers can travel long distances very fast. The 10 different models of Stryker vehicles include infantry, engineer, reconnaissance and medical evacuations variants, and can carry as many as 14 soldiers, Garcia explained.
"With the incredible capabilities they have to conduct reconnaissance and target bad guys with precision operations while mitigating collateral damage, Strykers are probably one of the best formations that the Army has put on the fields in decades," he added.
The 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be making the unit's first combat deployment. It was activated at Fort Lewis on May 4, 2007, as the Army's seventh Stryker brigade.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2009 - The Army's Stryker armored vehicle will get its first crack at the resurgent Taliban and terrorist strongholds in Afghanistan this summer when the 2nd Infantry Division's 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team hits the ground there.
Army Gen. David D. McKiernan, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, said at a Pentagon news conference yesterday that he specifically requested the Stryker brigade for its versatility.
"I asked for a Stryker capability, with one of the brigade combat teams, so that it could provide the mobility, the situational awareness, the protection," McKiernan said. "And, quite frankly, it provides a lot of infantrymen. And that would give us an ability to maneuver capabilities in the southern and southwestern parts of Afghanistan."
The brigade will bring about 4,000 soldiers and nearly 300 Strykers to the fight in Afghanistan. They will be operating in the country's southern region and along the Pakistan border, areas that don't have a sufficient security presence, preventing governance and infrastructure progress, McKiernan said.
"We need persistent security presence in order to fight a counterinsurgency and to shape 'clear, hold and build' in support of a rapidly developing Afghan capacity," he said, referring to the strategy of clearing an area of insurgents, preventing them from returning, then taking advantage of the improved security to build governance and infrastructure.
The additional troops also will have a dual responsibility in training and organizing Afghan police forces and army, he said. Military leaders there hope to double the size of the Afghan army to 134,000 troops as soon as 2011. Mentoring and training Afghan forces is necessary for success there, the general said.
"Our goal [is] to attempt to accelerate the growth of the Afghan army," McKiernan said. "But we need to do that in a smart way. We need to do it in a holistic way, so it's not just a question of numbers; it's a question of training, equipping, leader development and their employment."
The Army brigade's deployment was officially announced this week as part an additional 17,000 soldiers and Marines President Barack Obama ordered to Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates signed the deployment orders at around 7:25 a.m. on Feb 17, and Obama's announcement was pending notification of the soldiers' and Marines' families, Pentagon officials said.
The Strykers originally were slated for an Iraq deployment this summer, but anticipated the switch "some time ago," a brigade spokesman said yesterday.
Army Maj. Mike Garcia wouldn't give specifics as to when the soldiers were notified of their new Afghanistan mission, but said it was enough time to adjust their training before arriving at the National Training Center earlier this month at Fort Irwin, Calif.
"Their training scenario is focused on an Afghanistan fight," Garcia said. "We knew this some time ago and had enough time to modify the scenario."
The brigade started its training at the National Training Center on Feb. 15, learning the various cultures within Afghanistan. Persian Farsi, Pashto and Urdu are some of the languages and customs they'll get a crash course in. They'll also learn what to expect regarding Afghanistan's mountainous terrain, weather and type of insurgency they may face, based on military experiences there.
Their training will continue through the end of the month, Garcia said.
The Stryker brigade concept has proven successful in urban warfare since it was first introduced to live combat December 2003 in Iraq, but it has never been used in Afghanistan. The Stryker community recognizes the challenges, but is confident in their capabilities.
"Yes, it is a different theater," Garcia said. "Combat is never easy, but they're still prepared, mentally and physically, to go to combat. It's just a different place on the globe to us."
Afghanistan's mountainous and rigid terrain, freezing weather and the freedom of movement insurgents have enjoyed there will be new challenges for the Stryker. There are distinct differences compared to Iraq regarding the terrain and culture, but Garcia said, "the basic tenets and concept of fighting a counterinsurgency remain the same."
"Stryker brigades are very versatile," he said, echoing McKiernan. Strykers can travel long distances very fast. The 10 different models of Stryker vehicles include infantry, engineer, reconnaissance and medical evacuations variants, and can carry as many as 14 soldiers, Garcia explained.
"With the incredible capabilities they have to conduct reconnaissance and target bad guys with precision operations while mitigating collateral damage, Strykers are probably one of the best formations that the Army has put on the fields in decades," he added.
The 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be making the unit's first combat deployment. It was activated at Fort Lewis on May 4, 2007, as the Army's seventh Stryker brigade.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Guard's Only Stryker Brigade Prepares for Iraq Deployment
By Army Sgt. Sheila Holifield
American Forces Press Service
CAMP SHELBY, Miss., Dec. 2, 2008 - About 4,000 soldiers representing the National Guard's only Stryker brigade will deploy to Iraq in early 2009.
The Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team has been transforming to a Stryker brigade since October 2004.
After they were alerted of their pending deployment in October 2007, the brigade's soldiers have been training at the Joint Forces Training Center here. They will continue on to Fort Polk, La., for additional training before they make their way to Iraq.
"The training we have done at Camp Shelby has been a good building block allowing us to expand upon what we were previously doing," Army Col. Mike Ferraro, commander of the 56th SBCT, said.
Though more than half of the soldiers deploying with the SBCT have prior deployment experience, Ferraro said, training still is vital to the mission.
"Times have changed and continue to change as we prepare to deploy, so we must train on those current tactics, techniques and procedures in order to be successful," he said.
Army Capt. Joseph Ruotolo, commander of Pennsylvania's Battery B, 1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery, agreed.
"This war is different from any other," he said, "and as a result, a lot of the operations and success of this war is driven by the noncommissioned officers and junior leaders. Because that responsibility is now pushed down to the junior leaders, this war is all about being a good basic soldier."
In addition to mastering basic skills such as using a radio, knowing their weapon, navigating over land, reading a map and performing preventive maintenance checks and services, he said, soldiers also need to bring the right frame of mind to the fight.
"Being a good basic soldier and a good basic human being with honorable moral and ethical character are the ingredients to the success of this war we are fighting," Ruotolo said.
In addition to training at Joint Forces Training Center here, the SBCT has worked with the 2nd Infantry Division's 4th Brigade out of Fort Lewis, Wash. -- an active-duty Stryker brigade -- to prepare for their mission.
The active-duty soldiers taught the guardsmen current tactics, techniques and procedures being used in Iraq. They also conducted Stryker-specific training and shared what they learned from being overseas, Ferraro said.
"Having them here to work with us at Camp Shelby has been one of the biggest benefits we have been able to get," Ferraro said. "The partnership has benefited us immensely."
Ferraro noted that the active-duty soldiers have been thoroughly professional in helping the guardsmen prepare for their deployment.
"They are not looking at the patch and the fact that we are National Guard," he said. "We are all soldiers and all out to do the same thing in the Stryker community."
National Guard soldiers often are able to lend civilian-acquired skills to an operational environment, and Ferraro said this deployment will be no different.
"If we are working with Iraq police forces, we can pull from all of our police officers; same thing if we are working with the local community to build schools and curriculum, we can pull from all the teachers in our brigade," he said.
Ferraro said his soldiers are ready for what lies ahead.
"My soldiers want to show everyone that they made the right decision by putting the 56th SBCT in the Pennsylvania National Guard," he said. "We are making history, and we wouldn't trade our position for anything in the world."
(Army Sgt. Sheila Holifield serves with 1st Army Division East's 177th Armored Brigade Public Affairs Office.)
American Forces Press Service
CAMP SHELBY, Miss., Dec. 2, 2008 - About 4,000 soldiers representing the National Guard's only Stryker brigade will deploy to Iraq in early 2009.
The Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team has been transforming to a Stryker brigade since October 2004.
After they were alerted of their pending deployment in October 2007, the brigade's soldiers have been training at the Joint Forces Training Center here. They will continue on to Fort Polk, La., for additional training before they make their way to Iraq.
"The training we have done at Camp Shelby has been a good building block allowing us to expand upon what we were previously doing," Army Col. Mike Ferraro, commander of the 56th SBCT, said.
Though more than half of the soldiers deploying with the SBCT have prior deployment experience, Ferraro said, training still is vital to the mission.
"Times have changed and continue to change as we prepare to deploy, so we must train on those current tactics, techniques and procedures in order to be successful," he said.
Army Capt. Joseph Ruotolo, commander of Pennsylvania's Battery B, 1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery, agreed.
"This war is different from any other," he said, "and as a result, a lot of the operations and success of this war is driven by the noncommissioned officers and junior leaders. Because that responsibility is now pushed down to the junior leaders, this war is all about being a good basic soldier."
In addition to mastering basic skills such as using a radio, knowing their weapon, navigating over land, reading a map and performing preventive maintenance checks and services, he said, soldiers also need to bring the right frame of mind to the fight.
"Being a good basic soldier and a good basic human being with honorable moral and ethical character are the ingredients to the success of this war we are fighting," Ruotolo said.
In addition to training at Joint Forces Training Center here, the SBCT has worked with the 2nd Infantry Division's 4th Brigade out of Fort Lewis, Wash. -- an active-duty Stryker brigade -- to prepare for their mission.
The active-duty soldiers taught the guardsmen current tactics, techniques and procedures being used in Iraq. They also conducted Stryker-specific training and shared what they learned from being overseas, Ferraro said.
"Having them here to work with us at Camp Shelby has been one of the biggest benefits we have been able to get," Ferraro said. "The partnership has benefited us immensely."
Ferraro noted that the active-duty soldiers have been thoroughly professional in helping the guardsmen prepare for their deployment.
"They are not looking at the patch and the fact that we are National Guard," he said. "We are all soldiers and all out to do the same thing in the Stryker community."
National Guard soldiers often are able to lend civilian-acquired skills to an operational environment, and Ferraro said this deployment will be no different.
"If we are working with Iraq police forces, we can pull from all of our police officers; same thing if we are working with the local community to build schools and curriculum, we can pull from all the teachers in our brigade," he said.
Ferraro said his soldiers are ready for what lies ahead.
"My soldiers want to show everyone that they made the right decision by putting the 56th SBCT in the Pennsylvania National Guard," he said. "We are making history, and we wouldn't trade our position for anything in the world."
(Army Sgt. Sheila Holifield serves with 1st Army Division East's 177th Armored Brigade Public Affairs Office.)
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