Courtesy Photo | Spc. Juan Graces, of Corona, Calif., an Individual Ready Reserve Soldier and...... read more read more
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VICTORY BASE COMPLEX, Iraq - Task Force Columbia, Oregon National Guard, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), began their mission in July 2010. They were responsible for the security of Victory Base Complex. The base defense operations center coordinated access control and force protection, including strategic and physical areas.
"Task Force Columbia was responsible for the main coordination of all force protection assets on VBC. The operations center coordinated information as it came in and managed and crisis that might occur."
The task force controlled who had access to enter VBC and what privileges each person was given.
Col. Eric Bush, Task Force Columbia, BDOC commander, of Prineville, Ore., said, "They managed badging as many as 50,000 people theatre-wide." "They were responsible for vetting, screening and issuing badges, based on privilege and necessity, not only to contracted individuals and third country nationals but to local nationals also."
Access control and force protection work hand-in-hand from knowing who can enter the base to tower guards to the physical structure surrounding the base.
"Force protection is nested with the operations and access control. They are responsible to continually assess the security posture for VBC, to execute changes and fixes they may identify or develop over time," said Bush. Force protection assesses the physical posture and sometimes the operational posture of VBC. They identify needs for construction projects, new construction or maintenance projects."
The first step was to look at what systems were available and what assets were in place utilize them and make a successful course of action.
"The key in reorganization in how we operate across Victory Base is ensuring there were no operational gaps in the force protection status or areas not covered by protection assets."
Looking at the techniques, tactics and procedures conducted by the previous unit, the BCOC realized they were good ideas but had not been documented well.
"We learned a lot of good ideas were developed over the year developed were not being passed down," Bush said. "We've written no fewer than seven standard operation procedures for different functional areas. The main effort was to capture the TTPs and pass them on to the next unit that will replace us."
As the contract for one security company came due, TF Columbia became the unit to conduct the transition to another security company.
"It was the largest security contract in Iraq. It is the first time the Army has ever executed something on this scale," Bush said. "When the award was announced we knew that we were going to have to actually conduct the transition."
Many of the operations TF Columbia did involved more than the 41st IBCT Soldier. As part of the Victory Base Complex, other entities were involved with the operations to make the security successful.
"The BDOC is a unique organization. We work with the Air Force, Navy and a large number of private contractors in addition to other U.S. Army units," said Bush. "That is a really good example f the future of joint operations for the military."
"We are the victims of our own success. We've been very successful at keeping this base safe for many years. As a result there are several Iraqi security force commanders and Iraqi officials who are very interested in what we do here in Iraq and in learning how we do what we do," said Bush. "They are interested in conducting operations on our footprint. The future for VBC is our partnership with the Iraqi military and the various commands represented here on VBC."
"This has been a unique challenge for the Oregon National Guard and the 41st Brigade. We became responsible for such a large project, had the opportunity to work with many different services and foreign militaries to achieve a united objective. We maintained the security of Victory Base Complex, the Baghdad International Airport on the outskirts of the base. It truly has been a pleasure and exciting challenge: a once in a lifetime opportunity."
| Date Taken: | 01.09.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.04.2010 15:00 |
| Story ID: | 47680 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 88 |
This work, Safety for one, for all, by SFC Anita Stratton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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