Photo By Cpl. Thomas Hermesman | The Marines, assigned to Fox Company, Brigade Headquarters Group, MEB-Afghanistan, and...... read more read more
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CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan — Side by side, British and U.S. soldiers have scoured the desert just beyond the protection of the perimeter fences and t-wall barriers of Camps Leatherneck and Bastion since May 29 when Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan took control of its battle space in Helmand province.
The Marines, assigned to Fox Company, Brigade Headquarters Group, MEB-Afghanistan, and the British soldiers, assigned to Normandy Company, 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment and 17 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, dedicated hundreds of hours to joint security patrols, ensuring the continued security of the camps and the airfield.
They came together Sept. 29 to celebrate their five months of successfully carrying out force protection missions. The celebration featured an award ceremony and a barbecue.
"Not that the mission or the integration was easy at all, but our forces came together very naturally," said Maj. Chris Carter, officer commanding, Normandy Company, 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, told the assembled troops. "I have just been very impressed the work we have done together."
Uniting British and U.S. troops was essential to effectively control the area and accomplish the mission, according to Carter and Lt. Col. Christopher Naler, BHG commanding officer, given the priority of protecting the troops at the two installations and the Bastion flight line.
Under the command of the BHG, teams of British soldiers and U.S. Marines patrolled residential areas and barren desert with special emphasis on the areas under aircraft approach and departure paths. During the five-month period, Afghan security forces, accompanied by their Danish mentors joined the British and the Marines to support their force protection efforts. Naler linked the successful integration of troops from different nations to the leadership and work ethic of the noncommissioned officers and junior officers of the British and U.S. services.
"The tactical cooperation of the unit NCOs and junior officers set the foundation for successful operational effects," he said. "The team really came together and hands down accomplished the mission."
Leadership and tactical cooperation proved essential to the continued success of force protection efforts as half way through Normandy Company's deployment, two of the three British Army platoons headed south to Lashkar Gah to support forces there.
"It was hard to lose most of our force, but we continued on," said Carter.
Naler recognized the hard work of the British troops during the award ceremony, in which he presented the Non-Article 5 NATO Medal for participation in ISAF's Afghanistan mission to each British soldier. He also presented a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal to a British sergeant.
The Marines and sailors with BHG and their assigned UK forces continue to secure the area around Camp Leatherneck and Bastion as the British soldiers and airmen are headed home for some much deserved leave time with their families.
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2009 11:02 |
| Story ID: | 39584 |
| Location: | CAMP BASTION, AF |
| Web Views: | 312 |
| Downloads: | 229 |
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