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GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Sand tornadoed under the rotors of a V-22 Osprey as Marines piled off the helicopter, into the desert.
So began Operation Black Dawn, a 24-hour mission that targeted potential trouble areas and narcotic smuggling lanes in Eastern Garmsir district, May 17.
During the operation, the “Lava Dogs” of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment teamed up with Afghanistan National Army soldiers to patrol more than 15 kilometers through the desert and surrounding villages.
“Anytime an infantry Marine arrives in Afghanistan, his first thought is, ‘Where are the insurgents at, how can I find them...’” said Sgt. Ruben David, the 1st Squad leader for 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1/3. “I would lie to you if I told you I didn’t want to do that, but we have a different job to do here, which is to show the Afghan populace that we can protect them and that they don’t need insurgent forces. And, [our job is to] let them know that we are training fellow [Afghans] to take over the security of the area, so Americans won’t be here forever.”
Since early May, when 1/3 arrived in Garmsir, the Lava Dogs have been pushing out to parts of Garmsir where coalition presence had been thin.
“The more we’re in an area, the more of an impression we will have on the Afghan people,” said Pfc. Hunter Shackelford, the radio operator for his squad. “And, the better impression we have on the Afghans, the friendlier they will be.”
“In the long run, it helps build relationships in the area,” said Shackelford, a native of Fredericksburg, Va.
The operation also helped the Lava Dogs narrow the search for smuggling lanes. During Black Dawn, no contraband or weapons were found in the desert of Eastern Garmsir.
“There’s always a chance that when you stop someone you can find weapons, drugs or money from drugs,” said David, a native of Allen Park, Mich. “When you do find something, the impact is huge, but for the most part, they’re not using this area, which is good for the progression of security in the area.”
As the Marines and ANA patrolled and set up vehicle checkpoints, they gathered information from the Afghans.
“[The insurgents] know Marines operate in the area,” said David, “so either they are scared — I would be scared of us -- or they are just being smart and not operating in an area they know Marines and ANA work in also.”
“We talked to the Afghans, and every one had the same story of seeing a regular presence of Marines or ANA,” he added. “They also all had the same story about not seeing any insurgents for six months or longer.”
Information such as this allows the Lava Dogs to shift their focus to areas in Garmsir where the insurgents may be operating.
Just as importantly, the operation provided an opportunity for Marines to mentor ANA soldiers, who will eventually function independently in the district, hope the Marines.
“I like working with Marines a lot; they are helping us,” said ANA Pvt. Abdul Bessir, a soldier with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps. “We are always working together, and the Marines are helping our country. I like Marines a lot; they teach us a lot about patrolling, our weapons and how to do our job.”
| Date Taken: | 05.18.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.23.2011 11:10 |
| Story ID: | 70896 |
| Location: | GARMSIR DISTRICT, HELMAND PROVINCE, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN, AF |
| Web Views: | 646 |
| Downloads: | 7 |
This work, Operation Black Dawn: Coalition forces disrupt narcotics trafficking in Helmand, by Cpl Colby Brown, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
