Photo By Staff Sgt. April Campbell | Petty Officer 1st Class Mark Witherspoon, a Portland, Ore., native, who serves as an...... read more read more
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By Pfc. April Campbell
3rd BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Striker Soldiers leaving the wire every day depend on the counter improvised-explosive device systems in their vehicles to help protect them.
For the Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers, Petty Officer 1st Class Mark Witherspoon, plays an essential role in their mission.
Witherspoon, who is a native of Portland, Ore., was recognized for his personal achievements Jan. 28 when he was named the Sailor of the Quarter for Joint Crew Composite Squadron-1.
He serves as an electronic warfare officer with the Joint CREW Composite Squadron - 1, which is currently attached to 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd BCT, and his mission is to maintain and repair the counter IED systems and to teach Soldiers how to operate and maintain them.
Both Sailors and Airmen serve as EWOs with Army units in Iraq as the Army undergoes the process of standing up its electronic warfare program. Thus far, Witherspoon has served with two different Army units.
"I train (the 3rd STB, 3rd BCT) Soldiers more than I did those in the previous unit I worked with because this unit just recently arrived in Iraq," he said.
Although he only began working with the Phoenix Battalion a few months ago, Witherspoon has meshed well with the Soldiers he works with.
"They grabbed me as soon as I got here and made me feel like I was part of the unit," he said.
Sgt. Matt Radcliffe, a Spring, Texas, native, who serves as a team leader with the Military Police Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd STB, is one of the Soldiers who counts on Witherspoon's skill. If the Soldiers need his assistance, Witherspoon will give up his personal time to come help out.
"It's obvious he loves his job," Radcliffe said. "Within two days of getting our vehicles, he was explaining the different systems – how to operate and use them."
There have been some occasions when his MP platoon drove on roads where IEDs exploded not too long after they left the area, he said.
While the Soldiers knew their systems worked in these instances, they cannot keep a tally of each IED that is overcome while out on mission.
"When your training works, there is no real way that you can describe it," he said, "because you don't always know when your system has defeated an IED if you didn't see it."
In addition to working with the systems and Soldiers at the 3rd STB motor pool, Witherspoon also goes out on different missions with the Soldiers who are leaving the wire.
"It's part of selling the system," he said. "We're telling them it's going to work. Going out there and showing the Soldiers that I trust the system will encourage them to use it."
The missions also provide him a chance to ensure Soldiers know how and when to operate the equipment, he said.
Although the Soldiers he is working with have not yet convinced him to join the Army, Witherspoon said he is enjoying playing the part during his nine-month deployment.
| Date Taken: | 02.14.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 02.14.2008 15:34 |
| Story ID: | 16355 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 229 |
| Downloads: | 138 |
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