"Hunters" and Iraqi army run insurgents out of town

Photo By Spc. Paul Harris | Capt. Antonio McNutt, military in transition team leader, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is interviewed by an Arabic TV news crew about the details of Operation Hero at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif.  

06.10.2007

Story by Spc. Paul Harris 

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

By Spc. Paul J. Harris
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

FORT IRWIN, CALIF. – Even though the temperature dropped down to the fifties the cold, chilly air of the Mojave Desert did not diminish the determination of a joint task force from the Iraqi army and Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry "Hunters," 3rd "Striker" Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, to rid the small Iraqi village of Kut Adeera of insurgents.

"(The insurgents) are doing things that are illegal," said Col. Omar Mustafa Hussein, commander, 11th Iraqi Army Brigade. "They are killing innocent people and they need to be brought to justice."

Kut Adeera is a fictitious Iraqi village located inside of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. The Striker brigade is finishing its training rotation at the NTC and Kut Adeera was a final test. The town was heavily guarded and the insurgents had exiled the mayor and chief of police.

"Our mission was to provide support for the Iraqi forces," said Capt. Thomas Fournier, commander, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry. "We transported them up here utilizing our Bradley Fighting Vehicles and provided assistance as needed."

From the very start, U.S. forces emphasized this mission would be Iraqi led, training for what they hope to see in real world Iraq. Heavy fighting between the insurgents and the joint task force broke out at the start of the mission but the Iraqi's, with the help of American forces, were able to suppress the insurgents, restore order to the town and return the mayor and chief of police from exile. After the fighting subsided U.S. forces provided a relief effort made up of supplies including Halal (Muslim-oriented food), fresh water and materials for the residents of Kut Adeera to start rebuilding.

"My main priority is to get this town back because if they (the insurgents) get this one they will go after another one and they will expand until they get bigger," Hussein said. "If it was not for the American coalition the terrorists would kill us. When we have the full supplies and we are self-sufficient that is when we will be able to stand on our own."
Lt. Col. Monty Willoughby, commander, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry, could not have agreed more. He has continued to push for equipment including better communication devices for the Iraqi forces and believes that is key for the Iraqi's to getting a leg up on the insurgency.

"I think equipment for the Iraqi army is the big deal," Willoughby said. "I think (the mission was) pretty successful considering where the Iraqi army is coming from and what they have been able to do in a short period of time."

He was also happy with what his Soldiers were able to accomplish, planning for every last detail even allowing the Iraqi forces to investigate a mosque for insurgents, taking into account the sensitivity of their culture. It is an example of how far the National Training Center has come to make the training as real as possible.

"We have been super impressed by the adaptability of the National Training Center to give more realistic training," Fournier said. "Leaps and bounds (from) what we got over the last time."

But he humbly admitted that it was his core of non-commissioned officers and Soldiers that made the mission a success.

"The vigilance and seriousness that our Soldiers have taken in this training and installing that in the younger Soldiers," Fournier said. "I have a great group of NCO's and they definitely emphasize the importance of this training."

With the completion of training at the NTC the Striker brigade will be returning to their mountain post (Fort Carson, Colo.).

• Date Taken: 06.10.2007
• Date Posted: 06.12.2007 09:37
• Story ID: 10783