Courtesy Photo | The quick reaction force stage their vehicles to escort the uparmored "Rhino" bus July...... read more read more
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By Spc. Ricardo Branch
1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs
CAMP RAMADI, Iraq– They sat around watching The Transformers in a small room while finishing breakfast. Their gear and weapons are stacked along the walls to their left within easy reach.
As two robots clash on the screen, the action is interrupted by a call from Cobra Main calling the quick reaction force to action.
For the Soldiers of Company C, 1st Brigade Troops Battalion, being on the quick reaction force is more to them than meets the eye.
"It's something new everyday," said Pfc. Alberto Paldron, a driver with the QRF. "We're a mix of different military occupation specialties who act as the first responders for anything situation around Camp Ramadi."
Paldron, 25, of Coachella Valley, Calif., said he's making the best of the opportunity on the QRF to remain tactically proficient.
"There are some 11 Bravos (infantrymen) who have tasks where they don't leave camp. Those on the QRF leave the wire and have had to deal with car bombs, and gunfire, so we've been kept combat ready."
Their missions vary from day-to-day. On July 11, the Soldiers' mission was escorting the uparmored "Rhino" bus driving around the city. The convoy uses sirens to warn the hectic Ramadi traffic of their approach.
As the security convoy enters the Ramadi Municipal Civic Center, the Soldiers catch a moment's rest while the Rhino unloads its passengers heading off to work.
"Out here we run two separate shifts of Soldiers who have to be ready to roll out at any moment's notice," said Staff Sgt. Michael Seaver, the platoon sergeant of the QRF. "They have to be able to be on site quickly after receiving any call."
Seaver, 31, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., said that unlike many people believe, they do more than just the quick response to attacks on Camp Ramadi.
"There is a lot variety in our missions," Paldron said. "It's never a boring time on the job and you're kept on your toes with the many different missions we do."
"We go out and do everything from crater analysis, mass casualties, tracking people going to close to the wire and any other thing we are called upon for," Seaver added.
Despite the many missions, long hours, and tireless effort, the Soldiers serving as part of the QRF enjoy what they are doing – providing safety and peace of mind for the Soldiers operating in and around Camp Ramadi.
"We've been doing this since January," said Sgt. John Baxter, a shift leader with the QRF. "Many of us were hand picked or selected for this mission. Many of us didn't know we'd be doing this type of work over here."
Baxter, 29, of Kimberling City, Miss., said that the job has had its ups and downs, but overall, it's an experience that many of them value.
"It's been challenging but fun," he said. "We've all seen things that will be hard to forget, but you have to push on because it comes with the job."
The convoy then moves out towards their next destination, Blue Diamond, a camp where Iraqi and coalition forces work side-by-side in securing Ramadi.
"As things have improved so much here in Ramadi, we're seeing less hostile contact and having slower days," Baxter said. "We'd love to see action but a boring day on QRF is a good day. Slower days allow us to go out and interact with people more and give things out to the kids. Some of us have kids of our own and, by us being able to do that instead, we're sending a message that we're not killers and are here to help."
As the day ends, and the Rhino bus returns to Camp Ramadi, the Soldiers of the QRF go back to their small room, turn on the television and finish watching their movie.
The movie finally ends with Optimus Prime, the Transformer leader on screen uttering the phrase, "like us, there's more to them than meets the eye." The same can be said of the Soldiers of the QRF, who are always ready and always prepared to do whatever they are called upon to do.
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2007 09:14 |
| Story ID: | 11279 |
| Location: | RAMADI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 245 |
| Downloads: | 200 |
This work, QRF: more than meets the eye, by SSG Ricardo Branch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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