Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion concludes deployment to Afghanistan

COMBAT OUTPOST SHUKVANI, HELMAND PROVINCE,, AFGHANISTAN

11.18.2011

Story by Cpl. Clayton Vonderahe 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

COMBAT OUTPOST SHUKVANI, Helmand province, Afghanistan - The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion has served in Shukvani, Afghanistan under the command of U.S. Marine regiment, Regimental Combat Team 8 for seven months and completed their deployment to the area, Nov. 10. The 31st Light Infantry Battalion is now patrolling the area for the battalion’s second tour to Afghanistan.

The 33rd Battalion fared an eventful deployment. The area of Shukvani, while residing in the Musa Qal’eh district, is located only ten kilometers to the northeast of the formidable District of Sangin, separated by the Helmand River. Much of the area is littered with improvised explosive devices, especially along Route Red, a road connecting many important coalition and Afghan National Security bases throughout Helmand province.

The 33rd Battalion built three patrol bases along Route Red and successfully extended the Shukvani battle space to the west during their deployment, according to U.S. Marine Maj. Christopher Kemp, the Georgian Liaison Team commander. Their area of responsibilities shifted from the previous Georgian battalion.

“The battalion previous to us had basically been spread out throughout the [area of operation], probably a little over a distance of 200 kilometers,” Kemp, a 1998 graduate of Lewis University, said. “They had patrol bases and outposts all over. One of the big accomplishments was [the 33rd LIB] actually consolidating.”

The 33rd Battalion held security along the stretch of Route Red traveling through their area of operation, performing continuous mounted and dismounted patrols along the road and into neighboring villages. Kemp refers to the road as a “key piece of terrain” for the coalition forces in Helmand province.

The regular presence of the Georgian soldiers along Route Red deterred insurgent forces from lacing it with IEDs intended to disrupt coalition forces and potentially injure or kill both friendly military forces and local Afghan citizens.

The destruction of the Ladaar Bazaar, a series of shops comprising a marketplace, was one of the larger operations the battalion took part in. The Ladaar Bazaar, formerly located in Shukvani, had been a safe haven for insurgent activity. The Bazaar held a dangerous threat of IED detonations.

The battalion had to work with the local populace to discern if locals wanted to keep the bazaar, after clearing the IEDs and rebuilding infrastructure, or abandon what was left in favor of a larger bazaar located across the Helmand River in Sangin. Locals favored the larger bazaar in Sangin where they could acquire goods cheaper with more variety.

Ladaar Bazaar was leveled from the area through an operation including the 33rd Battalion, combat engineers trained in the use of heavy explosives, and other units from RCT-8.

The bazaar was struck with 35 M58 Mine Clearing Line Charges (MCLIC), with more than 80 sympathetic detonations from buried IEDs.

“It was IED laden,” Kemp said. “There was an attempt before with the previous battalion to go in there and try to do away with some of the buildings. They incurred a significant amount of casualties. When the 33rd got on deck, and with the help of the regiment and engineers, they went back, readdressed it and leveled the place.”

The Georgian soldiers and U.S. Marines developed close relationships throughout the deployment. The Georgian Liaison Team offers guidance to the Georgian forces in addition to coordinating logistics through the higher Marine Corps commands. The GLT trained with the Georgian counterparts throughout a deployment buildup that took place in the Republic of Georgia and Hohenfels, Germany.

“We were not worried about the difficulty of this deployment,” said Maj. ZazaTsamalashvili, the commanding officer of the 33rd Light Infantry Battalion. “We were trained by Marines in Georgia and we cooperated very well.”

The two units conducted multiple operations together throughout the course of their deployment. Their close proximity helped each other learn and gain a greater respect for the different cultures.

“We are one team,” said Tsamalashvili. “We were able to work well together; it was not difficult.”

The deployment was not without losses. The battalion received 37 casualties during their seven-month tour with three men killed in action.

“I’m upset that it happened to [Cpl. Akhmed Solfdrari],” said Sgt. Vladimir Shengelia, a platoon sergeant with the 33rd Battalion. Solfdrari was a medic who struck an IED during a foot patrol, causing him to lose both legs. He was also a member of Shengelia’s platoon.

The sacrifices made have not been in vain. Route Red previously took hours or days to commute from base to base, but even great distances can be covered expediently with the greatly reduced threat of IEDs to local Afghan citizens and military traffic due to the 33rd’s active patrolling efforts.

“Now you have a presence where there was no presence from [Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan] before,” explained Sgt. Maj. David Jobe, the regimental sergeant major for RCT-8. “The reason that’s important is it opens a major thorough way from Gereshk, which is a major marketplace, to Musa Qal’eh and on to Now Zad. It also allows the civilian populace and GIROA officials the freedom to maneuver up and down that road.”

The unit is currently traveling back to Georgia and the 31st Battalion has assumed command of its area of operation. It is the 31st Battalion’s second deployment to Afghanistan and the 33rd is confident the responsibility has been given to capable soldiers who will continue the progress made.

“I think for the 31st what you’ll see is that they’ll want to take what’s been left from the 33rd and from there essentially build off the relationships gained and establish new ones in order to help control the [area of operation],” said Kemp. “They will want to take care of what’s in close first then worry about spreading out after.”

The Republic of Georgia has been contributing infantry forces to Operation Enduring Freedom and fighting side by side with U.S. Marines in Helmand province since April, 2010. Their presence has contributed to the security of the Afghan population from insurgent forces and the further establishment of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

“They are just another battalion in RCT-8,” said Jobe. “It’s not a Georgian force to us, it was the 33rd now the 31st Battalion. They have done a great job, they are a military that has been fighting for a long time and has come to an area that does not care for Russians, and because of their language, was often thought of as Russian by the local populace. They didn’t let that detour them from their mission. They were very dedicated in their mission, they’re always looking for more responsibilities, more things to do to legitimize their mission and the GIROA forces.”

• Date Taken: 11.18.2011
• Date Posted: 11.18.2011 05:02
• Story ID: 80209
• Location: COMBAT OUTPOST SHUKVANI, HELMAND PROVINCE,, AF