Photo By Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Smith | Sgt. Anibal Santiago, an Iron Claw squad leader with Company A, Special Troops...... read more read more
By Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs
BAGHDAD – One of the terrorists' most valuable weapons against residents, Iraqi and Multi-National Division-Baghdad forces is improvised explosive devices - homemade bombs typically placed on the side of the road and detonated at opportune times to cause the most casualties.
Company A, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, protects Iraqis, as well as MND-B forces, throughout the Rashid district from these IEDs on a daily basis through Operation Iron Claw.
Operation Iron Claw is the all-important mission of clearing roads in the district so Iraqi civilians can walk their neighborhoods safely and coalition forces can conduct their missions freely.
While the mission is a vital one, the job consists of long hours of boredom, but even a moment of complacency can cost lives.
April 13 was one of those quiet days where the patrol found nothing, but it's these days the "Wolverines" of the brigade's STB must not get too comfortable and focus on the mission at hand.
Sgt. Anibal Santiago, a route-clearance squad leader with Co. A from Orlando, Fla., said although it's stressful to go looking for IEDs while others are avoiding them, he finds satisfaction in the job.
"It feels pretty good to be the first ones out there to clear the route so the rest of the brigade can do their job," Santiago said.
Spc. Robert Bradford, a route-clearance team leader from Atlanta, said his platoon takes IED attacks personally.
"It makes us sad to hear that our battle buddies got hit by an IED," he said. "It also makes us angry to be here inside the wire when it happens."
While riding around for hour after hour every day with nothing to look at but long miles of road can get monotonous, Bradford said that the long hours put in on the routes are worth it.
"We're out there multiple hours," Bradford said. "If we can stay an hour longer or two hours longer to find an IED, it makes us feel better knowing our battle buddies get back safe."
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2007 08:20 |
| Story ID: | 9920 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 694 |
| Downloads: | 443 |
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