Iraqi army, Comanche Soldiers 'sweep up' caches

Courtesy Photo | Spc. Charlie Smith, a native of Holly, Mich., and 1st Lt. Robert Teets, a native of Wahiawa, Hawaii, stand with two Iraqi army soldiers responsible for finding a munitions cache outside of Falahat, northwest of Baghdad, during Operation Green Sweep Dec. 8. The operation partnered Soldiers from Troop C "Comanche, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, with IA soldiers, Emergency Response Unit and Iraqi police. Smith is a fire support systems specialist and Teets is a platoon leader, both with 2nd Battalion 11th Field Artillery Regiment, attached to Comanche Troop.  

TAJI, IRAQ

12.17.2008

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from the Iraqi army's 3rd Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th IA Division, discovered a weapons cache during a clearing mission in Abu Jedial, northwest of Baghdad, Dec. 8.

Soldiers from Troop C "Comanche," 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, partnered with IA soldiers from 3rd Bn., 53rd Bde., 14th IA Div., set out to disrupt enemy forces by clearing out suspected caches as part of Operation Green Sweep.

Also taking part in the operation were elements from the Emergency Response Unit, as well as the Iraqi police.

The main focus of the operation was to take gathered intelligence concerning suspected caches, find then and remove them.

Comanche Troop Soldiers linked up with their counterparts early in the morning.

Within 30 minutes, two IA soldiers stumbled upon half-buried metal barrel alongside a destroyed building.

"The two soldiers began calling for someone to come and look," said Cpl. Cerone Waddy, a native of Richmond, Va., who serves as the Comanche Troop radio telephone operator. "They knew instantly that they had found something out of the ordinary."

The contents of the barrel were 40 82mm functional mortar shells and a mortar tube.

An Explosive Ordinance Detachment team disposed of the munitions on site.

"Col. Hussein and the soldiers from 3rd Bn., 53rd Bde., continue to step in without haste to make Iraq a safer place," said Capt. Travis Shain, a native of Victoria, Texas, and Comanche Troop commander. "Those two soldiers, who made the find today, helped to safeguard the future of this community."

• Date Taken: 12.17.2008
• Date Posted: 12.17.2008 03:30
• Story ID: 27796
• Location: TAJI, IQ