Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Amanda Tyler, of Tampa, Fla., who is part of 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment's...... read more read more
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By Spc. Kate Huff
2nd BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PROSPERITY, Iraq – Six months ago, Spc. Shana Shelby thought she would deploy to Iraq and spend her time in the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion's communications shop. But when she arrived to Kuwait, where the brigade staged before heading to Baghdad, she was told there was a change.
"At the time I was very disappointed because I really wanted to do my job," said Shelby, originally from New Orleans. "It was very frustrating."
She and many other females from the brigade's organic units were pulled, to be part of 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment's Search and Support platoon. The squadron was going to head up security for the International Zone in Baghdad and needed females to search the women entering the heavily fortified area.
"I needed to have a certain amount of females to perform my mission," Command Sgt. Maj. James Daniels, 4-9 Cav's senior non-commissioned officer explained. "My organic organization didn't have enough, so I needed other units from the BSB (15th Brigade Support Battalion) and the BSTB (2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion) to each provide 12 females a piece so I could be able to accomplish my mission."
So the 32 women all picked up and headed to 4-9 Cav. where they trained to work at checkpoints.
"We had some ECP (entry control point) training in Kuwait." said Pfc. Amanda Tyler who used to be a military policeman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. "We learned how to search and what to feel for on the body. Basically signs to look for."
Initially, some Soldiers said they were skeptical about the move.
"Well, everyone at first was really, well, not on edge, but a little hesitant because no one really knew each other," said Tyler, a native of Tampa, Fla. "We all came from different jobs."
Not only was it matter of getting to know new people, but also a matter of abandoning countless hours of deployment training in their old military occupational specialties. Shelby explained that she had spent over two years training to do her job for a deployment, but now that she's been at the ECP for almost five months, she knows that the experience she gains here will help her when she returns to her original job.
"I've gained a lot of tactical knowledge and I think that I can apply that to my old job," said Shelby. "I've gained a lot of experience out here. So I would say this is an invaluable experience. And I'm glad to have the opportunity to do it."
That sentiment seemed to extend to the personal relationships the Soldiers formed.
"We all like being a part of this. I mean, we do all miss our companies and our original positions, but we've come together as a team. We support one another. We're proud of what we're doing, and we enjoy it. We've all made a lot of good friends; we all stick together," said Tyler.
They've also had a chance to get out and meet the locals and find out how their mission affects them.
"We've all learned a lot of Arabic and a lot about the culture, which I think will help us in the long run," Tyler said. "I think it helps (the local nationals) – that we do respect their culture – that we do respect their rules – their religion."
Though they were displaced from their original positions, the female searchers of 4-9 Cav. have found their niche in this deployment.
"We all came from different places, all at the last minute- kind of in a whirlwind and didn't even know what we were doing or if we'd like it. I think it's a good thing," said Tyler. "A lot of people are taking pride in what they're doing because they feel like they're doing something helpful."
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2007 09:14 |
| Story ID: | 9602 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 168 |
| Downloads: | 139 |
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