‘Scorpions’ gather at special operations base; Elite Iraqi, US military units join forces

Photo By Lt. Col. Jason Billington | Soldiers from 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the "Scorpions" of the Iraqi 3rd Battalion, Emergency Response Brigade gather for a photo opportunity with MG Nouman, Emergency Response Brigade commander, and Lt. Col. Greg Athey, commander of 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, at Hillah, Iraq, Dec. 20, 2010. The day marked a transfer of authority of the base from U.S. to Iraqi control as members of the ERB were set to move onto the compound to conduct training and operations with the U.S. special forces unit there.  

BABIL PROVINCE, IRAQ

12.20.2010

Story by Maj. Jason Billington 

3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs Office

BABIL PROVINCE, Iraq – As black, Russian-made armored vehicles rolled into Fire Base Stack in Hillah, Dec. 20, it was evident that significant changes were occurring on this small special operations compound, previously occupied solely by U.S. forces.

The day marked the transfer of authority of the fire base, known locally as Bayt Al-Wazeer, between the U.S. Special Operations Forces unit and the “Scorpions” of 2nd Company, 3rd Battalion, Emergency Response Brigade, an Iraqi special operations unit that has been conducting training with U.S. forces on the compound for many years.

The event began with a ceremony hosted by Maj. Gen. No’man, ERB commander. Following a reading of the Quran, several speakers talked about the significance of the arrival of the ERB to the base, including Lt. Col. Greg Athey, commander of 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

“Today marks not only a great day in the history of the Scorpions but also another step forward in the security of Babil Province and Iraq,” said Athey, whose unit is charged with the U.S. Army advise and assist mission in the province. “These new facilities will expand the ability of U.S. Special Operations Forces to advise, train, and assist the Scorpions and improve their already highly impressive organization.”

U.S. Special Operations Forces operating in the Hillah area have worked extensively with the 3rd Battalion since the ERB’s establishment in 2004.

With the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces in accordance with the existing security agreement in Iraq, a keen focus has turned to the empowerment of the Iraqi military to act more independently in the security of the country.

The transfer of authority ceremony included the symbolic passing of the base flag, signaling the transition of this compound from U.S. to Iraqi control. A U.S. Special Operations Forces officer ceremonially handed over the flag to 1st Lt. Muhammad, an executive officer in the 3rd Battalion, ERB.

“This is a great step forward in coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Iraqi forces in Al Hillah,” said a U.S. spokesman at the base. “Having the ERB living on the compound will allow for increased coordination during mission planning, allow us to tailor training more effectively and allow the ERB and U.S. special operations professionals to roll out on missions as one force instead of requiring link up somewhere else.”

The compound consists of several housing areas and a dining facility to support the 2nd Company’s specially-trained soldiers.

“This has been in the works for almost a year,” said a U.S. spokesman. “It required several new buildings and took hard work on the part of both U.S. Army and ERB planners.”

The Babil Province Police Academy Music Division provided a musical backdrop to the ceremony, which concluded with a social where U.S. soldiers, Iraqi military and local Hillah guests could share a meal and conversation.

At the conclusion of the formal portion of the event, Maj. Gen. No’man could be seen with a smile on his face, eagerly inviting U.S. soldiers up to tables full of food in English.

“We requested a base especially for the ERB in the middle of Hillah as a strategic position to operate from,” said No’man. “One of the reasons we wanted it in the center of Babil was that we needed a quick reaction force to respond to the insurgency threat.”

As the crowd of guests exited the gates of the compound, the distinctive poised tails on the many shoulder patches of the “Scorpions” at this small compound sent a clear message that this elite Iraqi unit was ready for action.

• Date Taken: 12.20.2010
• Date Posted: 01.07.2011 02:28
• Story ID: 63160
• Location: BABIL PROVINCE, IQ