Soldiers use 'Beanie Baby and bullets' theory on patrol

Courtesy Photo | Ever Vigilant - A B Company, 108th Armor Battalion, 48th Brigade Team Soldier keeps a watchful eye on the area surrounding the Lutifiyah based compound.  

10.17.2005

Courtesy Story

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Spc. Tracy J. Smith

48th Brigade Combat Team PAO



LUTAFIYAH, Iraq -- Soldiers patrolling the Iraqi villages of Lutafiyah, Yusufiyah and Mahmudiyah have many affectionate nicknames for their area -- ranging from the Arabic "feyahs" to the English "Triangle."

No matter what this area is called, Capt. Scott Jackels and his Soldiers simply want to call it secure and will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

Jackels is proud of the accomplishments of his B Company, 108th Armor Battalion, 48th Brigade Combat Team Soldiers in their corner of the Triangle in Lutafiyah.

"They don't get any days off," he explained. "My Soldiers are outside the wire every day. Their commitment makes my job a lot easier."

"Easier" in the sense that his officers and non-commissioned officers, like other Soldiers living in the Triangle, know their job and approach any task with purpose and spirit. This sense of duty has been integral in successfully flushing out the "bad guys."

Their mission always incorporates the basics of the patrol"making it a point to stay a step ahead with their planning and to always be aware of their surroundings. They call this approach 'the Beanie Babies and bullets theory."

It's a tongue-in-cheek reference to the posture they must assume while working to make the local residents comfortable and safe with their constant presence.

"You can be standing outside enjoying some time playing with the kids, handing out Beanie Babies and candies," Sgt. Ashley O'Donnell said, describing a typical scenario.

However, Soldiers must always be ready for the unexpected"which means potentially engaging the enemy.

"No matter what you may be involved in, you are always out there with a "lock and load" mentality," said O'Donnell, a gunner with B Co. "Everybody's gotta be on their game because you don't know what to expect from one second to the next."

Terrorist attacks on polling sites and against Iraqi Security Forces only make the Lutafiyah-based Soldiers more determined to help the people in the region. The key to their success, Jackels explained, is adaptability.

"The key to staying a step ahead is to continually adapt," he said. "What works today may not work tomorrow. However, if it didn't work today, it may work tomorrow. Just because you've had success with it does not mean you have to use that technique again."

Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Baughman, a tactical vehicle commander for B. Co., keeps a tally of the number of patrols his unit has conducted since putting boots on the ground in Lutafiyah'there are more than 200 tick marks thus far.

"We know our area like the back of our hand at this point," Baughman said. "That's our job. We know if the slightest thing is different from the last. The operational tempo has been high and it takes its toll on the Soldiers but that doesn't keep us from doing our job. We are successful because we work well together and can depend on each other to accomplish our mission."

• Date Taken: 10.17.2005
• Date Posted: 10.17.2005 13:20
• Story ID: 3380