Photo By Spc. Jason Dangel | Sgt. Anuoluwapo Coker, armament shop supervisor, 404th Aviation Support Battalion,...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Jason Dangel
Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Like many of the various coalition forces camps and forward operating bases throughout Iraq, Camp Taji is more of the same: corrugated steel housing units, sandbags, rocks, dirt and overly decorated dining facilities aimed to remind the troopers of home.
However, beyond the safety of the camp's barbwire perimeter, the sounds of daily commuters and the ever-increasing hustle and bustle of Iraq's citizens still provide a dwindling enemy plenty of places hide.
Despite the increased security gains of the recovering country over the past year, leaders from the Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, aren't taking anything for granted when it comes to the safety of their Soldiers and force protection.
"Force protection is the element within any organization that can directly influence whether a mission can or cannot be done," explained Capt. Federico Llanos, brigade force protection officer, who is from Puerto Rico.
"As the force protection officer for the brigade it is my job to identify vulnerabilities within our compound and develop counter measures, or courses of action, to correct the vulnerabilities and to predict any enemy activity that might affect our mission."
An important part of the force protection mission lies directly on the shoulders of many of the junior enlisted Soldiers of the brigade, who are tasked to provide perimeter security around the camp.
For weeks at a time, Soldiers from across the brigade gear up and, regardless of their military occupational specialty, operate fortified guard towers directly adjacent to the brigade's main operating areas.
Their mission may seem simple; however, one act of complacency can mean the difference between life and death.
"They provide 24/7 coverage of any movement, and when I say any movement, it can be something as simple as a civilian, or multiple civilians, walking around the base – local national traffic – basically anything out of the ordinary that may cause concern," said Llanos.
The Soldiers aren't just guards, they are the essentially the eyes of the brigade. Anytime a Soldier sees any type of suspicious activity outside the base, he or she must report it directly to the CAB's Area Defense Operations Center.
The ADOC monitors all radio traffic between the towers and proceeds to take the best course of action, depending on what type of incident is reported.
Working in conjunction with Camp Taji's Base Defense Operations Center, which monitors the security of the entire military complex, they decide whether or not to send combat units outside the gate to deter any threat posed by the enemy, Llanos said.
The combat units are typically referred to as quick reaction forces, which, when called upon, can usually respond to enemy activity in minutes.
To ensure the Soldiers manning the towers remain on their toes, supervisors routinely check the defensive positions, noting all possible deficiencies along the way.
"There are thousands of Soldiers who sleep here every night, and they expect the guards to protect them and take care of them," said Sgt. Carlos Torres, an area defense sergeant of the guard, who is from Puerto Rico.
"It is my job to ensure the Soldiers have all the equipment necessary to protect the Soldiers of this brigade," he continued.
Torres, who worked as a helicopter mechanic with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, before the brigade deployed, volunteered his services to the ADOC to become one of the primary guard supervisors for the duration of the CAB's time in Iraq.
"I think every job in the Army is important," he said. "Every job has its place in the overall mission. This job in particular is extremely important because we're talking about lives here."
"My job is interesting and keeps me busy all the time. I feel like I am really contributing to the mission when I do this. It makes me feel good to know that people feel safe and we provide that service for them."
As for the Soldiers who are tasked with guard duty, they understand the importance of the mission and most look at it as an honor.
"Our duty is important for many reasons. We have fellow Soldiers that we are protecting here on the camp. We are their first line of defense," said Spc. Eric Bemoll, helicopter maintainer, Co. D, 1st Bn., 4th Avn. Regt., who is from Las Vegas.
"It is a mission that has to be done. We protect our own here."
Since the time of the unit's last deployment to Camp Taji in 2006, considerable improvements have been made to ensure the safety of both the Soldiers guarding the base and the personnel working inside the fence.
Previously, the guards worked out of towers with little or no protection, but new defensive positions have since been replaced with heavily fortified concrete towers, which are virtually impenetrable to enemy attacks.
Improvements on the base itself, which have occurred more recently under the direction of Llanos and the brigade command, include further fortification and security of the camp's airfield and various command and control centers.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2008 12:04 |
| Story ID: | 23197 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 173 |
| Downloads: | 123 |
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