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Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Coalition partner nations provide their unique skills and abilities to train and enable regional forces, and the U.S. Army’s Blue Spaders from Task Force Strike are one of those units.
The Blue Spaders are the Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Strike, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and their mission is to advise and assist. In this role, they enable Iraqi security forces to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant through advising, assisting, training, equipping and strikes at the Government of Iraq’s Baghdad Operations Command.
The BOC is responsible for securing the city of Baghdad, which is the center of gravity for the Government of Iraq, and its outlying areas, said Lt. Col. Ryan Wylie, commander of the Blue Spaders.
"In [our advise and assist] capacity, we were responsible for assisting the operations recently conducted in Fallujah, and we are still the primary advise and assist organization for that area.”
Following Fallujah’s liberation, the Blue Spaders transitioned their focus to security operations in Baghdad, which include advising and assisting ISF on passive security measures and offensive operations in the Baghdad area, force regeneration for future security operations; and preparations for future offensive operations.
"The Iraqis are entirely in the lead," said Wylie. "I've been impressed by what I've seen of their capability. In Fallujah, the BOC led that offensive. They were assisted by Coalition force air support, and they planned, synchronized and executed combined arm's maneuver on their own.”
When the Blue Spader’s arrived three months ago, Fallujah had been held by ISIL for two years. It quickly became the operational objective of the advise and assist team at the BOC to help secure the city.
"We arrived during what had been the Iraqi Army's two-year effort to retake the city of Fallujah," said Wylie, who is on his fourth deployment to Iraq. "Several weeks after we got here, they made the decision to conduct concerted offensive operations. Within less than 30 days, the BOC had successfully isolated the city, defeated pockets of Da’esh outside of Fallujah and secured the city. I feel our advise effort and assist effort played a significant role in the Iraqi's army success."
The success in recapturing the city of Fallujah not only liberated Iraqis, but also negatively impacted the availability of ISIL fighting forces. More than 1,000 ISIL fighters were killed in the operation to secure Fallujah with another approximate 1,000 being detained, said Col. Chris Garver, the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolved spokesperson, during a press conference.
"Of all the times I've been in Iraq, I can say this has been the most rewarding because of the effect we're having on the enemy.” said Wylie. “When you look at what our team accomplished assisting the BOC with offensive operations in Fallujah, the battle damage assessment results speak for themselves. We have a significant impact on defeating Da’esh, and it has been rare in my time in Iraq to feel that you had such a tangible impact on the enemy."
| Date Taken: | 08.11.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2016 03:39 |
| Story ID: | 206763 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Hometown: | CLARKSVILLE, TN, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US |
| Hometown: | NASHVILLE, TN, US |
| Hometown: | NEW YORK, NY, US |
| Hometown: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 551 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Blue Spaders advise, assist at Baghdad Operations Command, by CPT Daniel Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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