'Redlegs' transform into infantrymen

TAJI, IRAQ

01.09.2006

Courtesy Story

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Sgt. Joy Kroemer
2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division

CAMP TAJI, Iraq " Fighting the war in Iraq has transformed artillerymen into light infantrymen, a job filled with cordon and searches, motorized convoys and dismounted patrols.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment have accepted and excelled in their non-traditional role. The field artillery Soldiers have dominated a large area throughout the city and rich farmland of Taji, performing in the role of the light infantryman and securing peace for the people of the region.

"We've captured 109 insurgents; 41 have gone to Abu Ghraib," said Lt. Col. Rafael Torres, commander, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment. "We've discovered 15 caches (of weapons), three of which were the biggest ever found in this area. We've taken in excess of 14-15 hundred artillery rounds here recently and destroyed them."

Since their arrival in the Taji area in October 2005, the 1st Battalion, or "Top Guns," has undergone more than just artillery-turned-infantry adjustments.

Coming from Fort Campbell, Ky., and normally attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, "Top Guns" landed in Iraq and were attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division out of Wiesbaden, Germany.

The Soldiers wasted no time in tackling the light infantry role and taking charge of a larger area of operations than most battalions find themselves having to engage, said Torres.

"Our units are spread out, so we have the challenge of constantly maneuvering our forces on the battlefield to ensure that we have the right combat power at the decisive point of an engagement," Torres explained. "I think the operational cell and the batteries have done a really good job in being flexible and doing that."

The missions have been overwhelmingly successful, said Torres, despite the loss of six "Top Gun" Soldiers since the beginning of operations.

"I think the fact that we are a team is key," said Capt. Robert Jenkins, whose Battery A has sustained all six "Top Gun" losses. "Just maintaining that sense of team and keeping that as the nucleus of everything we do, we'll be alright."

"We've taken some hard hits here," Torres confessed, but added proudly, "Those (six) Soldiers, every one of them, they were here doing their mission and they knew what their mission was."

Working diligently through those tough losses, the "Top Guns" have stepped up as a team to take the war in their area to a different level " and it has paid off, said Torres.

By actively taking the fight to anti-Iraqi forces in the Taji region, 1st Battalion has broken up IED-making cells and destroyed the nucleus of different insurgent "gangs," putting most of their members behind bars.

"With us proactively going after these caches, insurgents can't defend them so they just have to watch us dig them out," explained Torres. "(In the first) 48 days, we've captured over 40 percent of what the brigade has done (since their arrival in January 2005), and that's in 48 days."

With six different military occupational specialties making up 1st Battalion's headquarters battery, training with the right Soldiers has made all the difference in effectively taking on the light infantry role.

"The 5th Special Forces group trained with us for four months solid at Fort Campbell," Torres explained, "(and) we fired more ammunition between the July timeframe until September when we deployed than the average artillery Soldier has fired in his lifetime."

"When we first found out we were going to be doing light infantry, we didn't know what to expect," said Sgt. Eden Puente, HHB, 1-320th FA. Training by experts in infantry tactics made a difference in the Soldiers" confidence levels.

"Then we got here and got Lieutenant Burton. He's very knowledgeable in infantry tactics. So him being here, plus the training back at Fort Campbell, has been good. I think everybody's pretty happy about what we've been doing here so far," said Puente.

No matter what the upcoming mission holds for Torres and his "Top Guns," one thing is certain " they are ready, ready for the future but never forgetting their accomplished past and the Soldiers that represented them in Taji.

"I am extremely proud of the (Soldiers)," said Torres. "They have gone above and beyond any of the expectations I would have had of them at this phase of the battle. In my mind, they upheld the name of the 101st. Period. So I'm proud of them."

Torres also credits support from back home for helping the Soldiers" success.

"I would like to thank everyone in rear detachment and our Family Readiness Group for all their hard work and support of us while we are trying to accomplish our mission," he said.

• Date Taken: 01.09.2006
• Date Posted: 01.09.2006 10:15
• Story ID: 5017
• Location: TAJI, IQ