By Sgt. Mark B. Matthews
27th Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - The sun begins to peak over the Baghdad horizon as the Soldiers slowly creep into the neighborhood. All of their weapons are loaded and all of their minds are focused on the day’s objective. Everything is eerily quiet and not a soul is seen on the trash-ridden streets, but they still keep a close watch on every corner, window and rooftop.
Soldiers with the Ghost Rider Company, 3rd Squadron “Wolf Pack”, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, conducted clearing operations in neighborhoods of the East Rashid District in Baghdad, Oct 11.
The purpose of the operations were to clear the area of al-Qaida forces in the area, search for bombs and bomb-making materials, uncover weapons caches and counteract any improvised explosive devices.
“We have been taking out one of the last al-Qaida enclaves and basically clearing the area, which is going home-to-home and street-to-street and trying to get rid of all the weapon caches and al-Qaida members in the area,” said 1st Lt. Jonathan Peterson, from Tacoma, Wash., a platoon leader with the Ghost Riders. “The biggest initial challenge is getting a foothold in the area so we can begin talking with the people to get intelligence on where IEDs and al-Qaida members are.”
Upon arriving to an area the Soldiers begin searching houses. This is done one street at a time while one unit provides over watch security and another searches houses. Many times houses needing to be searched are abandoned. More precautions must be taken in order to safely enter the homes.
Ghost Rider Company is not alone during these clearing missions. They have the support of other companies in the regiment, explosive detection dogs and explosive ordnance disposal teams who assist in detecting IEDs and house-borne explosive devices before they become deadly.
Soldiers said operations are proving to be going very well in East Rashid. When operations first began in the area, Soldiers in the unit were receiving gun fire everyday. Now, they go days without seeing any, Peterson said.
Aside from securing the area, this mission has been a learning experience for many of the Soldiers, and they are able to pass what they have learned to help other units with similar missions be successful.
“When we first got into sector, the procedure of clearing a house was to get in quickly, clear the home of any explosives and disable any weapons. Now, due to the threat of (house-borne explosive devices), we use many more precautions,” said Spc. Dustin Cason, a Longview, Texas native and squad designated marksmen for Ghost Rider’s 1st Platoon. “We were one of the first to counteract house born explosive devices.”
As the Soldiers continue to clear and make more and more areas of East Rashid safe for residents, they hope more and more people will begin giving information to Coalition Forces. This information can then be used not only to provide better security in the area, saving U.S. and Iraqi lives.
Operations in the East Rashid District have proved to be successful, but not without loss. However, Soldiers of Ghost Rider Company continue to face the streets of Baghdad every day with a “mission first” mind set.
“We are all trained professionals who know how to react to certain things,” Cason said. “It’s difficult to lose a Soldier, but when you’re out there you can’t play the revenge game. The man to your left and right are who you look out for, and not personal vendettas.”
The Ghost Riders, whose home base is in Vilseck, Germany, have only been in country since September, but they have already made great strides in providing stability and security to East Rashid, Peterson said.
“We have a lot of great Soldiers here who love the tough missions. They live for them,” Peterson said. “All of the Soldiers want to be the tip of the spear and serve their country in the best way they know how.”
Soldiers in Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, begin clearing a street in the East Rashid district of Baghdad, October 11. Operations in the area began in September and the unit has already detained 20 suspected Al-Qaida members, counteracted house born explosive devises, uncovered a number of weapons caches and secured many of the other streets in the area. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Mark B. Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment)
Palmer, Alaska native Staff Sgt. Brandon Kramer, a squad leader with Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, uses all means necessary to enter an abandoned house to clear it of any possible weapons or explosives during clearing operations in the East Rashid District of Baghdad, Oct 11.
Palmer, Alaska native Staff Sgt. Brandon Kramer, a squad leader with Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, inspects the door of a house for any signs it could be rigged with explosives during clearing operations in the East Rashid district of Baghdad, Oct 11.
Layton, Utah native Pfc. Jan Hesley (left), a member of 1st Platoon, Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Peter Ranjo, a dog handler with the Multi-National Division-Baghdad Provost Marshal Office, from Lackland Air Force Base, Fla., search cabinets in an abandoned house in the East Rashid District of Baghdad, Oct 11.
