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'Ghost' Soldiers mark end of tour

Photo By 1st Sgt. Brent Williams | Spc. Tyler Luetjuen, a cavalry scout from St. Louis, assigned to the 7th Squadron,...... read more read more

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

02.25.2009

Courtesy Story

1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — The leaders of the 7th "Ghost" Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assembled cavalry troopers, Feb. 22, to present the Order of the Spur during an end-of-tour awards ceremony.

Leaders from the 1st "Raider" BCT, 4th Inf. Div. mounted 55-gallon barrels to be inducted into the Order of the Spur during the ceremony; hosted by Lt. Col. Troy Smith, 7th Sdrn. commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, the squadron's senior-most noncommissioned officer. The Order of the Spur, normally an honor reserved for Soldiers serving with Cavalry units, is bestowed to Soldiers after having served during combat as a member of a Cavalry unit or taking a spur ride — a prerequisite to earning spurs.

The event signified the end of a 12-month deployment for the Ghost Squadron Soldiers deployed to the Rashid District in southern Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09.

Long prior to their most-recent spur ceremony, the "Ghost" Squadron's latest OIF tour began with their arrival in Baghdad in late March 2008 and they quickly moved into sector with the primary mission to secure the local population and protect the people of Iraq.

The Squadron's leadership took the reins for the deployment during a multi-phase relief in place and transfer of authority with units from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, for operations in the eastern Rashid area of southern Baghdad.

Subsequently, the squadron moved its Tactical Operations Center and Headquarters from Forward Operating Base Falcon to Joint Security Station Karb De Gla II in an effort to maximize combat power in sector and establish a dynamic partnership with a battalion of the Iraqi army; more than 2,000 Abna al-Iraq, or Sons of Iraq security members; and two Iraqi national police battalions.

Initially tasked with securing the neighborhoods of Hadar, Mechaniks, Saha and Abu T'Shir, "Ghost" Squadron moved into sector with three line troops, a headquarters troop and an attached tank company team from 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div. These areas in the Doura area of Rashid were some of the most violent and sectarian areas in Baghdad throughout 2006 and into early 2008, according to Lt. Col. Troy Smith, the "Ghost" squadron commander.

"Our mission was to protect the populace and the area we were operating in, and the only way to protect the people is to get down there with them," said Smith. "We couldn't do it from afar; so we exited FOB Falcon, moved out into the combat outposts and joint security stations. We lived, slept, ate and patrolled out of those neighborhoods."

This action put the "Ghost" Squadron command in a location easily accessible to local leaders and the key approaches to Baghdad from the southern belts.

In addition to its accessibility, the headquarters for the 1st Battalion, 43rd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, was located a few hundred meters from JSS Karb De Gla. This action proved to be vital for the Soldiers as they continued to partner with the local Iraqi security forces.

During Operation Ghost Guide, Soldiers from the unit's military transition team, initiated an aggressive training program to prepare the IA as a self-sustaining force. Training consisted of first aid, criminal scene investigation and site exploitation training, security operations tactics, techniques and procedures, and maintenance.

Through meetings with the IA battalion's leadership, the squadron's command team noted a need within the Iraqi army non-commissioned officer ranks. Using elements of the squadron's NCO Corps, troops from 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., established a mini-NCO academy for the Iraqi security forces.

Through training, the proficiency of the Iraqi soldiers and NCOs continued to progress, and following the graduation of the initial class of IA soldiers, 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., began a full integration of the IA soldiers into its operations planning at the battalion-level.

Conducting numerous combined missions with the IA, the Soldiers of "Ghost" Squadron instructed their counterparts in counter-insurgency operations, supervising their progression and ensuring standards were met.

Operation Close Encounters, a squadron population engagement operation, served as one of the key successes in the area of operations. Daily, frequent and in-person engagements by combined patrols, visiting the homes of local Iraqis, became the key to success. The troops used Operation Close Encounters to separate the population from the insurgents — and to kill, capture or drive away criminal groups.

"We really built relationships with the people," Smith explained. "Instead of replacing a unit twice our size, we became ten times the size of that unit. And we did that because we got people over on our side, and that is the only way to win a [counterinsurgency] fight. Read the doctrine. Read the history books. The only time an army ever wins a [counterinsurgency] fight is if they can separate the people from the insurgents or terrorists."

Furthermore, the positive relationships built and fostered with the local citizens, resulted in a myriad of tips that led to the discovery of 80 weapons caches, including the largest Iranian weapons cache found in MND-B's operational area.

"With this accomplishment, the Soldiers were allowed to conduct security and stabilization operations throughout our assigned sectors bringing the quality of life up for the peoples and further securing themselves against armed aggression," said Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. "These actions for the people assisted their decisions to turn in or tip off information against insurgents in the area."

In addition to establishing relationships with the Iraqi population, troop and squadron leaders worked to improve local neighborhood councils into working local governance. The squadron helped the leaders identify local infrastructure issues in East Rashid and empowered them to make positive progress by ensuring they had the interests of the people in mind.

Addressing these issues alongside their ISF counterparts, Soldiers from 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., were able to improve living conditions for the local residents.

"The Ghost Soldiers demonstrated a high display of motivation as showed in the performance of their duties with the local populace. The Squadron Commander laid out his plan to the Squadron and how he wanted it carried out," explained the Rockmart, Ga., native. "The climate was extremely brutal and austere, with temperatures going as high as 125 degrees Fahrenheit — accompanied with the burden of wearing the entire prescribed combat uniform and personal protective equipment; however, with the disciplined Soldiers and the watchful eyes of the leadership, the Soldiers executed the commander's will within the muhallahs and streets of Baghdad."

The Ghost Squadron's work in improving local governance capability directly manifested itself through tribal reconciliation amongst the Iraqi people, resettlement of displaced families, and increased respect of local leaders by the population. This improved the confidence of the local population in their leaders and local ISF.

"When history is written, it will say the Soldiers of this squadron had more of an impact this year than any other time out there," added Smith. "It's not to take away from the work, the blood and the sweat that preceded this."

The Soldiers of Ghost Squadron performed extremely well, operating from austere locations and built-up patrol bases during the 12-month deployment, said Reimers.

"The tone was established early on that we were going to ruthlessly enforce standards. This became an apparent reason for the low number of safety accidents and negligent discharges for a force of our size working with large moving equipment and live ammunition daily."

Capt. Matthew Suhar, squadron personnel officer of the 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, was a significant contributor to this article.