MND-B Soldiers, NPs air-assault to objective

By Sgt. Grant Okubo

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

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - In the cover of night Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi National Policemen hovered in on UH-60 Blackhawks toward their objective in the Shawra Wa Um Jidir area of eastern Baghdad, Oct. 5.

Approximately 120 Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and 16 National Policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, participated in the air-assault mission.

The overall objective of the mission was to disrupt the operations of Special Groups extremists in the SUJ area, said Capt. Adam Cecil, the commander of Co. C, 2nd Bn., 30th Inf. Regt.

Spc. Steven Nies, a native of Milan, Ind., along with his fellow Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, pulls security on the rooftop of a local residence in Shawra Wa Um Jidir as the MND-B Soldiers national policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, conduct searches for Special Groups extremists during an air-assault mission.

Enemy forces were using the SUJ area as a safe haven and a staging area for their operations against Sadr City and 9Nissan, said Cecil, a Chesapeake, Ohio, native.

"The mission was very successful," explained Cecil. "It demonstrated to the enemy a capability that we can drop in deep behind their (improvised-explosive device) engagement area and hit them where it hurts without having to drive through those danger areas."

One of the biggest threats out there is IEDs, and anytime those risks can be mitigated is a welcome alternative, he added.

Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, and national policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, move toward their objective in Shawra Wa Um Jidir after exiting a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during an air-assault mission.

The air assault mission isn't one the Soldiers conduct every day. Over the period of three days, the Soldiers of Company C and their NP partners conducted rehearsals for the mission, said Cecil. The spotlight of the training focused on the aviation portion and getting the Soldiers on and off the Blackhawk.

"The most dangerous part of that mission during an air assault is landing in that (Landing Zone)," said Cecil. "That was definitely something we spent quite a bit of time on rehearsing and making sure we knew what to expect when we hit the ground."

Morning arrives as Spc. Steven Nies, a native of Milan, Ind., and Sgt. Jason Robinson, a Dallas native, continue to pull security on the rooftop of a local residence in Shawra Wa Um Jidir as their fellow Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, and national policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, conduct searches for Special Groups extremists during an air-assault mission.

One of the challenges to this type of a mission is the platoon members air assault in from more than one aircraft. Thus, it is vital that the subordinate leaders are prepared for all facets of their assault on the objective, explained 1st Lt. Brandon Trama, a platoon leader in Co. C, 2nd Bn., 30th Inf. Regt.

Safety is a very important part of conducting an air-assault mission, emphasized 1st Sgt. Brian Disque, the senior enlisted leader for Co. C. Landing in a dusty field, Disque said he wanted to ensure his Soldiers were comfortable getting in and out of the aircraft. The Philadelphia native said he felt the complications potentially created due to language barriers increased the risk factor for something to go amiss, which only reemphasized the importance of the rehearsals prior to conducting the actual mission.

UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters land in the cover of night in a field during an air-assault mission in Shawra Wa Um. Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, and national policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, prepare for their landing before hitting the ground and rushing towards their objective.

"The rehearsals paid off, and you can definitely see the benefits from it," said Disque.

Conducting the air assault isn't something these Soldiers get to do often so the opportunity allows the unit to expand its "playbook," added Disque. The primary difference between the air-assault mission and the mounted and dismounted missions is the method of insertion into the area.

Additionally, he said, there are numerous adjustments the Soldiers have to make. When entering in a convoy, the Soldiers have more time to acclimate to the terrain and to their own situational awareness. In an air-assault mission however, even though they understand the flight routes, they must adjust from flying in a helicopter to being dropped off in the middle of a field.

The unit has experience conducting air-assault missions. In fact, Co. C Soldiers conducted the brigade's first air-assault mission during the current deployment, said Cecil, adding that they followed that up when they also conducted the brigade's second air-assault later the same night.

Pvt. Ian Smothers, a Lacrosse, Wis., native, along with his fellow Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, pulls security on the rooftop of a local residence in Shawra Wa Um Jidir as the MND-B Soldiers and national policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, conduct searches for Special Groups extremists during an air-assault mission.

The mission was clearly a combined effort, said Cecil, who emphasized the ISF was in the lead during clearing operations.
"The ISF did great," said Cecil. "The Soldiers have been fortunate enough to have worked with the ISF for about eight months and, during that time, have watched their Iraqi partners grow."

Having their ISF partners along also paid dividends in that it appeared to comfort the local residents to see that the ISF were leading this mission, explained Sgt. 1st Class Gordon George Smith, the platoon sergeant for 1st Pltn., Co. C. The NP participated in the planning process and briefed their part in the planning and briefing of the mission, added the Plano, Texas, native.

Sgt. Jason Robinson, a Dallas native, along with his fellow Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, directs attention towards an area of interest as he pulls security on the rooftop of a local residence in Shawra Wa Um Jidir Oct. 5. The MND-B Soldiers and national policeman from 1st Battalion, 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, conduct searches for Special Groups extremists during an air-assault mission.

Disque said he wondered what the local residents' thought as they saw the NP air assault into their area.

"That is something they don't see every day," exclaimed Disque. "All of a sudden, they hear all these helicopters land and you're thinking Delta Force? No, it's not Delta Force - it's the Iraqi National Police."

This mission demonstrates for SG extremists that no matter where they are, whether it be in the fields or in a city, the ISF and their MND-B partners have the capability to come down on them at any moment, said Smith.

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