CAMP VICTORY, BAGHDAD -- When the 111th Ordnance Group took over command of Task Force Troy in March they made history.
The National Guard unit out of Opelika, Ala., is the first non-active duty unit to be responsible for all explosives ordnance disposal operations in Iraq.
Task Force Troy's mission is to eliminate the improvised explosive device threat to U.S. forces in Iraq, said Col. Jose R. Atencio III, commander of the 111th. To accomplish this task, they run counter-IED operations and reduce the enemy's effectiveness by reducing their ability to move freely or conduct operations.
The goal is to lower overall IED activity, said Master Sgt. Mark LaJoye, chief intelligence analyst for the 111th Ord. Grp.
One of the key features of the 111th is that they bring service members with diverse knowledge and experience to the table, according to Atencio.
"We bring some unique skill-sets from the civilian world here. We have people that are teachers, business owners, and we even have a rocket scientist," Atencio said. "Their managerial skills and their outside-the-box thinking is often highly beneficial."
The unit also has many members who are in civilian law enforcement.
LaJoye, a former police officer and bomb squad senior technician in Columbus, Ga., now a reserve deputy for the Russell County Sheriff's Office in Alabama, has more than 18 years in civilian law enforcement.
He said the unit's civilian professions provide them additional experience to take on the new mission with Task Force Troy.
"We really know how to protect a crime scene involving EOD," he said. "We also have a unique insight in processing evidence," LaJoye said.
It's also helpful to have members who are not law enforcement, but are experts in fields outside of their military occupational specialty.
"We save the Army money by combining the skill-sets that we have. We don't have to send personnel to specialized training in order to fill some additional duties when they already know how to perform the task," LaJoye said.
Atencio aims to ensure that the unit meets their strategic objectives, to provide quality and timely counter-IED support to American forces and save lives.
While the unit may be working in Iraq, the information they gather has much broader applications.
The information and intelligence the 111th Ord. Grp. collects here goes into policy and training, Atencio said. It is even being pushed to the war effort in Afghanistan to help with the counter-IED fight there.
Whether it's about manpower or making sure units have the capabilities in the right places, the members of the 111th know that this deployment will be a challenge.
Even though this is the first time a National Guard unit has taken on this mission, Atencio believes that they are perfect for the job.
For LaJoye, it's a very unique opportunity to work with such a good staff. He said that Task Force Troy has an excellent reputation in the EOD world and when he gets back to Alabama he will be able to brag about being part of their team.
"I'm looking forward to being a part of history and being a part of this counter-IED fight that we have now," said Atencio.
| Date Taken: | 05.10.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.10.2010 08:36 |
| Story ID: | 49394 |
| Location: | CAMP VICTORY, IQ |
| Web Views: | 760 |
| Downloads: | 337 |
This work, Guard leadership a first for Task Force Troy, by CPT Daniel Yarnall, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
