ANGLICO: The liaisons between comrades at war

Photo By Sgt. Aaron Rooks | Staff Sgt. Robert Jernigan, team leader, Firepower Control Team Alpha, 1st Brigade...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. Aaron Rooks | Staff Sgt. Robert Jernigan, team leader, Firepower Control Team Alpha, 1st Brigade Platoon, 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, peers around a corner while a U.K. soldier with Number IX Company, 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, provides security during a patrol, Sept. 23, 2009, near Checkpoint North in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Jernigan and his fellow Marines from 2nd ANGLICO currently serve as liaisons between the U.K.'s Task Force Helmand and the Marine brigade, also known as Task Force Leatherneck.  see less | View Image Page

LASHKAR GAH, AFGHANISTAN

09.28.2009

Story by Sgt. Aaron Rooks 

2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade

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LASHKAR GAH, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — "What does your body armor look like?" asked one U.K. soldier. "How do we get an Afghan civilian to a hospital in Lashkar Gah?" asked one U.S. sailor. "What type of information do you have on insurgents in the southern oasis of Now Zad?" another U.K. soldier queried.

"We deal with anything and everything that happens between Task Force Helmand and Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan," said Sgt. Ryan Sisson, a forward observer with 1st Brigade Platoon, 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, MEB-Afghanistan, who works at the Task Force Helmand headquarters at Lashkar Gah. "Dropping bombs, aircraft strafing runs, fire missions, convoys ... you name it, we deal with it."

The 2nd ANGLICO Marines at Lashkar Gah currently serve as liaisons between the U.K.'s Task Force Helmand and the Marine brigade, which is also known as Task Force Leatherneck. Not only do they perform their primary mission of coordinating indirect fire support from Marine aircraft and artillery elements to U.K. units in Helmand province, but they also provide a link between the two units 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The support they provide reaches a variety of levels throughout the Task Force Helmand area of operations. The 1st Brigade Platoon headquarters, with representation at both Lashkar Gah and Camp Leatherneck, serves as a coordination cell of sorts between the Marines and U.K. soldiers.

The four Marines at Lashkar Gah ensure MEB-Afghanistan is aware of all things related to fire support, intelligence, maneuvering, logistics and mobility that concern both Task Force Helmand and the Marine brigade.

"A boundary between military units doesn't restrain the enemy from crossing over, so the coordination has to be there," said Maj. Matthew Maz, platoon commander, 1st Brigade Platoon, 2nd ANGLICO. "The enemy doesn't care about that line, so having fire support personnel on both sides facilitates that coordination."

The liaison role ANGLICO plays often expands well beyond just fire support, as shown since the MEB assumed control of its area of operations in Helmand in late May. He said there's coordination for every event between U.S. and U.K. forces, no matter how big or small.

"Our role is to de-conflict what the MEB is doing with what Task Force Helmand is doing," said Navy Lt. j.g. Scott Lee, a naval gunfire liaison officer and liaison between Task Forces Helmand and Leatherneck. "We have to make sure everyone is always up to date with what we, the Marines, are doing and what the U.K. soldiers are doing. Because we share so much space together, we have to be able to coordinate."

The liaison role begins at the highest level of command for the two forces and expands down to the U.K. battalion- and company-level units scattered throughout Task Force Helmand's Battle Group (Center/South) region at Forward Operating Base Shawqat, Patrol Base Silab and Checkpoint North.

At these various levels, a supporting arms liaison team and firepower control teams spread the workload for indirect fire support and the different liaison functions.

The Marines have successfully coordinated operations since their arrival, even at the smallest level with a four-man FCT operating with a U.K. company-level command at CP North.

"The Marines are here to serve as a link between the guys on the ground and Battle Group (Center/South)," said U.K. Lance Sgt. Richie Tudball, a platoon sergeant currently serving at CP North with Number IX Company, 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards. "It's nice to know when you are out there that you have the support they can provide."

Tudball said the Marines with FCT-A at CP North continue to help the U.K. soldiers there hold their position.

"The U.K. soldiers seem to really like us, so I guess we're doing a pretty good job," said Staff Sgt. Robert Jernigan, team leader, FCT-A.