Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Angela Mc Kinzie | Soldiers from Task Force Vigilant, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq — Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI) had a chance to meet top Mountain leaders during the past week.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, the 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Borja, the 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) command sergeant major, visited Commando Brigade Soldiers from Dec. 14-19 in the brigade's area of operations.
"The command sergeant major and I wanted to see the current status of the brigade in combat in Iraq, see if the Soldiers had any equipment or manning issues, ask them (the Soldiers) how they felt about the training they received prior to deployment and if there was any training adjustments that needed to be made," Freakley said. "We also wanted to visit our Soldiers before the holidays."
During the visit Freakley and Borja met and spoke with Soldiers from each battalion within the brigade.
On the first day they were able to spend some time with Task Force Vigilant Soldiers. While there, Freakley reenlisted a TFV Soldier and went with Borja to visit with Soldiers and eat dinner with them.
Before departing the area Freakley left the Soldiers with some encouraging words.
"The TFV is unique, well led and has great Soldiers," Freakley said. "They (the Soldiers) have a significant mission and high morale. They are very positive young men and women."
On Dec. 15 Freakley and Borja made their way to visit the two infantry battalions, the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons," and the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment "Polar Bears."
They toured Patrol Base Dragon, which was established by the Golden Dragons after they took over the Yusufiyah Thermal Power Plant in Yusufiyah, Iraq and Warrior Keep, another patrol base the Golden Dragons manned.
"The Golden Dragons face a unique set of challenges with the river, agriculture and the ground, but they are handling them extremely well," Freakley said.
After visiting with the Golden Dragons Freakley and Borja made their way to visit the Polar Bears in Yusufiyah and Rushdi Mullah, IKraq. While there Freakley presented some of the Soldiers with Purple Heart Medals.
"The Polar Bears face a challenge with the type of enemy they have in their area of operations as well as agricultural and the canal systems," Freakley said. "They are doing extremely well."
On Dec. 17 Freakley and Borja visited the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, and the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment.
While visiting 2-15 Soldiers, Freakley noticed the strong relationship the American Soldiers have with the Iraqi soldiers they are working with.
"They (2-15 FAR) are doing a wonderful job with the IA brigade they are working with," Freakley said. "The support and mentoring they are giving the IA brigade is wonderful."
After visiting with 2-15 Freakley and Borja went to see 1-89 Soldiers. They toured the 1-89 battle position in Gator Swamp and flew over their area of responsibility.
"The Soldiers of 1-89 are able to cover a lot of ground and are doing a great job."
Freakley presented 1-89 Soldiers with Combat Action Badges before departing the area.
On Dec. 18 Freakley and Borja visited the support battalions, the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion and the 210th Brigade Support Battalion.
Freakley and Borja rode in one of the 2nd BSTB's iron claws and ate lunch with the 2nd BSTB Soldiers.
"The 2nd BSTB is the backbone of the brigade in many ways – they provide engineer, signal, military intelligence and military police support. They have a complex mission and are working hard," Freakley said.
Their final stop was at the 210th BSB headquarters where they took the opportunity to talk to the 210th BSB Soldiers and present them with coins.
"The 210th BSB is a strong and innovative support battalion. They have innovative ways to repair Soldiers' equipment," Freakley said. "Company C, Charlie Medical Company is well staffed with doctors. The Doc-In-A-Box is a unique capability that can deliver medical care and medical assistance to Soldiers in remote areas."
As part of their visit with each battalion, Freakley and Borja made sure to ask the Soldiers how their equipment was holding up, inform them on the new houses being built and upgrades to barracks currently in the works at Fort Drum, N.Y., talk with them about their morale and to wish them happy holidays.
"The visit was good and it showed they (the commanding general and the command sergeant major) care about the Soldiers," said Pvt. Joshua Carson, a native of Chatsworth, Calif., who serves as a guard with TFV. "Their visit brings morale to the Soldiers of the brigade."
Borja shared some of his personal thoughts with some of the senior leadership.
"I commend the leaders for a job well done. Each and every one of the Soldiers here is looking toward you (the senior leaders) to take care of our warriors," Borja said as he gave some of the senior leaders coins. "I cannot meet all of your warriors, but I hope you can pass the coins along to them."
Before departing the Commando Brigade, Borja left with encouraging words for the Soldiers.
"All the training the Soldiers received before deploying definitely paid dividends here in Iraq to all the Soldiers and the type of mission they have to conduct," Borja said. "I am extremely proud of them and I know they will continue doing a great job."
Although Freakley and Borja visited Soldiers in Iraq, they did not forget about the warriors at home.
"The rear detachment, families and family readiness groups are helping with the mission overall so that our forward deployed Soldiers can focus on their mission," Freakley said. "It is evident all over the brigade."
"It was humbling to be with the Commando Brigade Soldiers and to see the great work they have done," Freakley said.
| Date Taken: | 12.14.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2006 10:07 |
| Story ID: | 8638 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 396 |
| Downloads: | 71 |
This work, Mountain CG and CSM visit Commando Brigade Soldiers in Iraq, by SFC Angela Mc Kinzie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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