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Reserve Troops stop Potential Enemy Attack

Photo By Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda | Sgt. Hector Perez (right), from McAllen, Texas, and the 812th's armor, helps a Soldier...... read more read more

CAMP CEDAR II, IRAQ

04.14.2006

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP CEDAR II, Iraq - In February, Reservists with Harlingen, Texas" 812th Quartermaster Company were leading a small combat logistics patrol out of a training range in southern Iraq when they spotted 17 civilians digging out a weapons cache.

Within five minutes, they had the 17 individuals detained, a 360-degree security perimeter in place, and Italian and Iraqi coalition forces on the way to take charge of the incident since they were in the Italian sector.

"I was so proud of the Soldiers," said Staff Sgt. Richard Clayton, the 812th's training NCO who was in charge of the range exercise. "We had Soldiers from four different units from the 406th [Combat Support Battalion] in the convoy, none of us had ever worked together before, but it worked perfect. You could not have trained the Soldiers to react that well. It was one of those days you are really proud to be a leader."

It turned out that the civilians were digging out more than 100 munitions, including rocket propelled grenades, mortars, and artillery rounds. A citation for an Army Commendation Medal presented to Clayton and his troops noted that their "discovery, detention, and capture of anti-Iraqi forces who were in the process of removing a cache . . . for subsequent use as improvised explosive devices . . . were instrumental in reducing the enemy's capabilities to attack Coalition personnel."

The incident added a gold star to the unit's impressive score card.

Since arriving in Iraq in November, approximately 130 Reservists with the 812th and Utah National Guard's 120th Quartermaster Detachment have exceeded every standard.

They adopted a security escort mission, though they had no specific training in that area before arriving in country. In just three months, they have traveled about 92,000 miles while conducting about 200 missions, a remarkable figure considering that the unit they replaced conducted about 375 missions in one year. They've also staffed a logistics storage facility and a water purification mission at Logistical Support Area Scania in central Iraq.

"Of course, there was a learning curve at first because we are a quartermaster unit," said Maj. Marie Garcia, the 812th's commander. "We normally do water, fuel and warehouse. We had to get our drivers trained; we had to learn gun trucks."

Evidently, the Soldiers are fast learners, for within months they had doubled the number of gun trucks in their mission. The Reservists" security escort services for Kellogg, Brown and Root have earned them praises from that organization's drivers.

"Your troops untiring escort services for us have been nothing but a success servicing the neighboring [forward logistic bases and camps]," read a letter to Garcia from a KBR official.

Based out of Camp Cedar II, the 812th often travels to Logistical Support Area Anaconda, Camps Charlie, Echo and Baghdad International Airport, and even to some bases in Kuwait.

Though they periodically encounter insurgent attacks, mostly in the form of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small-ams fire, some of the Reservists said their civilian jobs at home are probably more dangerous than their work in Iraq.

For example, Sgt. Betty Thompson, a fuel specialist with the 812th and a police officer from Gallup, N.M., said her daily contact with belligerent civilians at home is probably more dangerous than providing security escorts for trucks in Iraq.

"This isn't that bad," Thompson said. "I think I'm more of a target there than here because there you constantly interact with people. Here, you stay in your armored vehicles from one [base] to another."

It also helps that about 25 percent of the unit has served previous deployments abroad, most of them to the Middle East. Two even served in Vietnam. These troops bring unparalleled experience, which helps keep the troops focused and optimistic.

"When we got deployed last time, the best stuff we had was a walkman," said Sgt. Jesus Cerda, a Brownsville, Texas, resident who served in Desert Storm and who is now a squad leader for the 812th. "Now we have internet, laptops, video cameras, digital cameras and three hot meals a day. In those days you only had one hot meal a day."

Their optimism is not to be confused with complacency. Many Soldiers, like Spc. Isaias Medellin, who is serving in the unit with his younger brother Noe, said that they "don't hate it, and don't like it. It's just all right."

They are also ever-mindful of the life they put on hold to serve abroad. For example, Perez hurried his marriage to his wife Mayra because of the deployment. Spc. Jose Garza, a 21-year-old college student from Mercedes, Texas, who was planning to wed his high school sweetheart later this year, also had to hurry his wedding and postpone their reception until after the deployment. Garcia has had to leave her two children and eighth grade science class for two out of the past three years to serve abroad, first in Kuwait and now in Iraq.

Despite these sacrifices, Garcia said the troops have remained on task and focused on accomplishing at least two unit-level goals.

"We want to return home better Soldiers than when we came out here," Garcia said. "And, of course, after we complete our missions, we want to make sure all Soldiers return home safe."

In many ways, they've already accomplished the first goal. As for returning home safe, all the 812th has to do is keep doing what they are doing, for the February incident revealed that the Reservists are staying alert, and as the old saying goes: those who 'stay alert, stay alive."

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