Soldier on fourth deployment -- all in same unit

Photo By Pfc. Michael Schuch | Sgt. 1st Class Cameron Richardson provides security during a foot patrol through the...... read more read more

Photo By Pfc. Michael Schuch | Sgt. 1st Class Cameron Richardson provides security during a foot patrol through the Four Corners market in June 11, 2008.  see less | View Image Page

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, IRAQ

09.11.2008

Story by Pfc. Michael Schuch 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

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By Pfc. Michael Schuch
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – There are a handful of Soldiers who can say they have served three tours or more in Iraq. Very few can say they served those three tours with the very same unit.

Sgt. 1st Class Cameron Richardson, of Palm Springs, Fla., has the unique distinction of deploying to Iraq with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division three times. In his nearly 15 year Army career, he has three deployments to Iraq and a deployment with the Iron Brigade to Kosovo in 1999 as part of Task Force Falcon.

"We did security patrols in Kosovo. We either went out dismounted or mounted in Humvees in a peace-keeping operation for seven months," said Richardson.

Following his tour in Kosovo, Richardson returned with the Iron Brigade to the brigade's home in Baumholder, Germany. For the next several years, Richardson trained with the Iron Brigade – ready to be called upon for the next mission. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, it was only a matter of time.

In March 2003, the time came.

Richardson was a staff sergeant in charge of a section of Bradley Fighting Vehicles in Company C, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. When the V Corps Commander, [then] Lt. Gen. William Scott Wallace, tasked the division for a mechanized infantry company for his headquarters security force, Richardson's unit became the first 1st Armd. Div. unit to leave its garrisons in Germany and deploy for Kuwait.

"We were in Mission Oriented Protective Posture 2 [gear] for the first two weeks, which was not a pleasant experience," said Richardson. "Our mission was to keep a 360 degree perimeter for the V Corps Tactical Army Command to ensure the general was not attacked."

"We were bounding up behind the Third Inf. Div., which was moving forward so fast. But we had to keep up with them to ensure the general had communications with them. We finally set up at Baghdad International Airport," said Richardson.

After the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, the Army's focus shifted to stability operations and securing the country for the Iraqi population.

"We went to Camp Muleskinner in Rustimayah. We did operations around what are now Command Observation POost Cashe South and North. We figured we would be in Iraq for around a year based on our orders," said Richardson.

The division began a 15-month deployment, which was unprecedented at the time. Richardson and his unit began redeploying to Germany in March 2004.

"As the first unit with boots on the ground in Iraq, we were the first to redeploy back to Germany," said Richardson.

Then, in April 2004, the Mahdi army began its uprising, and the 1st Armd. Div. was extended for 120 days of extensive combat.

"We had already redeployed to Baumholder and gone on our 30-day leave. I was back in the States when I got a phone call to return to Baumholder in order to deploy back to Iraq," said Richardson. "I was disappointed thinking I had survived Iraq after a long tough year of combat, and now I had to return."

Richardson deployed with Company C as the master gunner at brigade headquarters.

Richardson redeployed in July and returned to Baumholder to continue training and improving not only his own skills, but the skills of the Soldiers around him.

"When I got on the plane to return to Baumholder, I said to myself that I never wanted to come back to this place," said Richardson.

Richardson was offered an assignment back in the United States, having completed more than a full tour in Germany. Rather than starting fresh with new Soldiers in a separate unit, however, Richardson chose to remain an Iron Brigade Soldier.

In November 2005, Richardson and his fellow Iron Brigade comrades answered yet again their nation's call to duty and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07.

"When they say to go, you have to go. I was thinking, 'OK this is the last time,'" said Richardson.

That deployment was different than the first. The Iron Brigade deployed as a separate brigade and not with the 1st Armd. Div. Also, the Iron Brigade was the Central Command Theater Reserve force and remained in Kuwait for several months before its units deployed to Iraq.

Upon finishing his second tour in Iraq, he returned to his family and started to consider his career options. Having given the idea much thought and deliberation, Richardson decided to start working toward becoming a platoon sergeant.

Shortly thereafter, he was offered the chance to lead the command security detail for the 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div. command sergeant major. Richardson accepted the offer, becoming the leader of the CSD team and taking on a new role in the Iron Brigade.

In April, Richardson deployed to Iraq in Support of Iraqi Freedom 07-09 for his third tour with the Iron Brigade.

"This deployment is unique in the fact that I was in the forefront in the first deployment as a Bradley section leader. The second deployment I was the master gunner, a part of the Theater Reserve for six months and then moved up to Baghdad to finish the deployment. Now, I have a unique challenge in ensuring that the command sergeant major gets where he needs to go," said Richardson.

For a Soldier who has seen the war in Iraq from its very beginning and now after a successful "surge," Richardson says that he has seen tremendous progress in the last five years.

"It has progressively gotten better each time. The Iraqi army seems to have gotten the grasp of what to do and is getting more professional," said Richardson.

Each day in Iraq, Richardson is tasked with route planning, caring for his Soldiers' physical and mental health, performing pre-combat checks and inspections on all gear and equipment and, once out on a patrol, ensuring the security of the Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Eyer, Iron Brigade command sergeant major.

As Richardson's team maintains the security of the area, he remains no more than an arm's length away from Eyer, acting as the last line of defense between him and any opposing threats.

"We roll out five to six times a week," said Richardson. "Sometimes, the hardest part of the job is just trying to keep up with the sergeant major."

Richardson will remain in Iraq for the duration of this deployment with the Iron Brigade. Upon his return to Baumholder, he plans to request a continuing position with the 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div., though he expects to be sent back to the U.S. to continue his Army career.

"I would love to stay if they'd have me," said Richardson. "My wife is German, and she would love to stay in Germany."

Until then, Richardson is taking it one day at a time, as he has done on his two previous Operation Iraqi Freedom tours.

"I want to get myself and my guys all back home safely," said Richardson. "I hope I don't have to come back, but if ordered, I will and complete the mission." That's all the Iron Brigade and his country can ask from him.