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Day In, Day Out Soldiers Save Lives

By Staff Sgt. Matt Meadows

4th BCT PAO, 10th Mtn. Div. (L), MND-B

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - "Come on baby: be the lucky one! No whammies, no whammies, no whammies."

These were words repeatedly implored by Sgt. Robert Clark as he "interrogated" a possible improvised-explosive device with the "claw" of a "Buffalo" route-clearance vehicle, March 4.

Clark, a native of Ogden, Utah, serves on a route-clearance crew with Multi-National Division - Baghdad's Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

Clark wasn't lucky, at least not this time, as he got "whammied" - reminiscent of "Press Your Luck" TV game show, and didn't find an IED. Well, such is the day-in and day-out life of a route-clearance crewmember working in the middle of Baghdad.

Leading the way for Clark's crew is Staff Sgt. Jay Farmer, a native of Pandora, Ohio, who is a combat engineer and the squad leader for 2nd Squad. Including rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan, Farmer is currently serving in his 5th deployment. In fact, he has been conducting route-clearance operations for four of his 6.5 years in the Army. During his previous deployment, he conducted the missions while dismounted, but said things are much better now - especially when his crew finds IEDs.

Staff Sgt. Jay Farmer, from Pandora, Ohio, checks his equipment and crew before heading out for a route-clearance mission here March 4. Farmer is assigned as a combat engineer with Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Multi-National Division - Baghdad.

"It's great! It's one of the best feelings because when you're in safe vehicles like these, we are always in a position where it (an IED) can't hurt us," said Farmer, explaining the Army continues to make "bigger and better" vehicles.

"We might be close to it," he said, "but it's not going to hurt us. We've had some blow up even as we're interrogating, and it's a huge adrenalin rush being so close to a blast ... and knowing that everybody is okay.

"It would be completely different if somebody got hurt from a blast, but it's always great to call up our EOD partners and have them do their thing," continued Farmer. "When the adrenalin is pumping, it's a morale boost for everybody."

The morale of Farmer's crew rises when they find an IED because they believe it reflects their professionalism on the job and saves lives. However, not finding IEDs is "great" too because it means they still successfully cleared a route for Iraqi citizens, Iraqi Security Forces and their comrades.

While looking for IEDs every day might seem stressful to most people, Farmer said it is not stressful for him because he is "actually looking for what kills people.

Staff Sgt. Jay Farmer, a Pandora, Ohio, native, checks his equipment and crew before heading out for a route-clearance mission here March 4. Farmer is assigned as a combat engineer with Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Multi-National Division - Baghdad.

"Doing this job - it's more like we are doing the attacking. We're finding the stuff, preventing it from hitting us and other convoys."

What can be stressful on Soldiers is being away from home and Family, especially when they're on extended missions that prevent them from calling or contacting Family members back home. Therefore, downtime is extremely important for his crew and for all deployed Soldiers, explained Farmer.

"It's a must. You've got to have some downtime ... to unwind; just being cooped up in a vehicle, sometimes if you're in it for too long, you start getting complacent," he said. "I enjoy my downtime just as much as the next guy, but I'd be upset if I weren't going out on missions because I enjoy what I do, and I like ... our job. I love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Farmer's crew spends a lot of time together when not on missions. Among other activities, they enjoy playing video games and board games. They've even taken hockey video-game playing to the level of creating a spreadsheet to keep track of statistics.

Although Farmer's crew takes time during meal hours to maintain and prepare their "Buffalo" for missions, he still fits in two meals a day and tries to conduct an hour of physical training daily.

He said he likes to run and loves basketball, which he plays at every available opportunity, and surfs the Internet when he can. Since arriving in theater however, he has a new hobby he is passionate about: learning to play acoustic guitar.

"It's kind of something to do out here. Every day I try to sit down and learn something new when I'm playing," explained Farmer. "Sergeant Cox, he's teaching me how to play. He's played for about eight years." Sgt. Robert Cox is an Athens, Ala., native, and drives the "Buffalo" for Farmer's crew.

Farmer said he derives a lot of personal satisfaction and professional pride from his job and realizes the importance of route clearance and knows his comrades are counting on him and his team.

"It means a great deal because this job is a must," he explained. "With how warfare is going, you're always going to need route clearance. Personally, I'm proud to be doing what I'm doing because it does protect other people. It allows the (Soldiers with) other jobs to do whatever their missions are.

"Whether the infantry is doing a cordon and knock, or the logistics are bringing supplies, it's great to know that without this (route clearance), all that might not happen because they could be hit by something. So, there is a lot of pride because you're fighting for your country and doing stuff like this and protecting other units you work with, so I'm really proud of what I do."

Farmer said he is also proud of his crew and the job they perform, and that he honestly believes he has the best squad in Co. A - "hands down."

At the end of the day, route clearance is a very rewarding mission for engineering Soldiers deployed to Iraq. However, Farmer doesn't rest on his and his crew's laurels when reflecting on a hard day at work.

"You sit back, even after a rough day, (and) you think about (how), at least, we did some good today. We cleared a route for some people. It's kind of nice to know that maybe there was nothing out there, but now you've confirmed that," conveyed Farmer. "I'm ... ready to start another day ... . I usually play some video games with the guys right before I go to sleep. (Then), it's ... like, 'Alright, let's get some rest and do it all over again."