Photo By Staff Sgt. Richard Wooten | Col. Matthew Brown, Commander of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry...... read more read more
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SOUTHWEST ASIA --
In a small room tucked away in Erbil, Iraq, 11 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment were recognized for a very big accomplishment. Col. Matthew Brown Brigade Commander of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and Lt. Col. Jace Neuenschwander, 1-24 Infantry Battalion Commander, walked in to address the room. The ceremony showed a sign of recent times, as it was held to the COVID-19 social distancing measures by separating themselves six feet apart from each other. Two coins and 11 Army medals of commendation lay on the table waiting for the ceremony to begin.
“I want to talk about your accomplishments because they are hugely significant,” said Brown. “You here today, are the latest Brigade Combat Team that is in contact with a hybrid threat, and I am ridiculously impressed by the professionalism as well as the attention to detail that each of you have shown.”
“All the problems we faced, were solved by you individuals we are pinning medals on today,” he said.
Brown was not overstating how impressive these soldiers were at their jobs. There are times when people are given a seemingly impossible task and they will treat it as such. Others approach it in a different way. Col. Brown made it known that this particular unit chose the latter. He told everyone that there was a plan to consolidate certain bases within the area of operations of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve Task Force Iraq by the year 2022 because of successes in the defeat of Daesh (ISIS). Around November of 2019, CJTF leadership decided on a two year plan to start consolidating the troops as early as 2021.
This transfer of bases was a long-planned part of the CJTF-OIR campaign plan and reflects the Iraqi Security Forces’ ability to secure their own future and defend Iraqi sovereignty. ISF preparedness along with certain other factors caused the orders to massively accelerate these plans.
The biggest task that was set before them was the one thousand Marines stationed at Al Taqaddum Airbase, Iraq.
“From the time we were told until the time we executed we had a little over two weeks," said Neuenschwander. "This team came up with a plan that allowed us to execute rapidly without waiting for conditions to set."
. “My people said, ‘These are the conditions we are going to set for ourselves.’ That is why these here today are the standouts of our organization.”
Lt. Col. Neuenschwander’s group responded by not only completing the mission, but completing it early. Every piece of equipment was accounted for and no soldiers were injured or lost during the operation.
“What was planned to take two years…you did it in nine days,” Brown said at the ceremony. “I believe what you’ve accomplished at some point over the next year probably saved some U.S. lives.”
CJTF-OIR advises, assists, and enables partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat Daesh and provide a secure environment for the people of Iraq to rebuild and prosper.
It is easy, however, for soldiers on deployment to become complacent and feel their jobs do not really carry weight in the mission to defeat Daesh. That being said, when these soldiers were given an enormous task in almost no time to complete it, they rose to the challenge. The recognition that they received in that small tucked away room in Erbil was not only well deserved; it was earned.
United States service members are part of the multinational coalition to defeat Daesh (ISIS) while maintaining stability and security in the region. The Coalition provides mentorship to enhance the professionalism, technical expertise, and equipment capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces.
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.23.2020 09:26 |
| Story ID: | 370633 |
| Location: | ERBIL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 755 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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