Photo By 1st Lt. Janeene Yarber | Sgt. Jonathan Kinney, serving with the 955th Engineer Company, a member of the...... read more read more
By 2nd Lt. Janeene Yarber
926th Engineer Brigade
BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Soldiers of the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) continue to stay busy, working on various projects in Baghdad.
One of their main goals is to support coalition forces by constructing better force protection in the form of sniper screens, guard towers, blast shelters, indirect fire protection and much, much more.
Each measure provides another level of security for the Soldiers who put their lives on the line daily. As such, these Engineers also place themselves in harm's way when constructing the force protection needed in some of the most volatile areas of city.
As the temperatures began to drop in late-August, the Soldiers of 3rd Platoon, 955th Engineer Company were sent to a Joint Security Station in northern Baghdad, to build a massive screen to protect the Soldiers on guard. The 955th Eng. Co., based in Missouri, serves with assigned to the 46th ECB (H), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
"Our support platoon is very busy throughout the Baghdad area completing missions like this one," commented 955th Eng. Co. commander, Capt. Crystal Lauver, a native of Kansas City, Mo. "Sniper screen saves lives every day by denying enemy forces a clear view of our Soldiers and their equipment."
The self-proclaimed "Counter Sniper Task Force," focused on building a screen which, fundamentally simple in nature, provides protection from snipers at any distance from the perimeter of the camp and also reduces the rate of the effectiveness of a planned attack.
The sniper screen also decreases visibility into the camp, preventing enemy forces from gathering intelligence on the Soldier's daily activities. This also lessens the probability of an attack on Soldiers inside the camp.
Sgt. Joseph Underwood, a native of Lebanon, Mo., serving with the 955th Eng. Co., made light of the situation by coining the team's motto which was, "If you can dodge a bullet, you can dodge a ball." The line was borrowed from the popular movie "Dodge Ball."
The team's humor helped them conduct their daily mission which included securing the iron brackets, bolts, and galvanized steel, in an up-armored 'box' that placed them high above the protective walls of the base camp; without constantly thinking of the seriousness of their task.
Staff Sgt Ed Davis, a native of Chamois, Mo., serving with the 955th Eng. Co., 46th ECB (H), commented, "If installing sniper screen saves just one life, then it is worth the effort to provide that survivability to our Armed Forces."
| Date Taken: | 10.19.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.19.2008 10:34 |
| Story ID: | 25208 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 540 |
| Downloads: | 368 |
This work, Army Engineers conceal American Soldiers, block sniper attempts, by 1LT Janeene Yarber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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