By 1st Lt. Nicholas P. Paolini
2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment
BAGHDAD – The last couple of days seemed longer than usual for the Soldiers of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment. For the past four days, the Soldiers labored to build Joint Security Station Thrasher.
The construction is not yet complete; however, the company is already utilizing the JSS to plan and coordinate missions.
The entire battalion, tank crew members, infantrymen, engineers, and support personnel alike are involved in the establishment of the JSS. It is a large task to bring all of the supplies to the site, and it takes more than the Soldiers of 2-12 Cav. to get the job done.
The scope of the project requires units from throughout Multi-National Division-Baghdad to assist in the construction. Engineers from the 887th Engineer Company continue to assist in the emplacement of barriers which surround the JSS and protect the occupants, while 299th Forward Support Battalion provides the majority of the logistical support.
JSS Thrasher will house both Iraqi and coalition forces, 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 10th Iraqi Army Division and Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, which is attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. This Iraqi army battalion recently arrived with their military transition team from southern Iraq.
Thrasher will provide a constant coalition presence is southern Ghazaliya, the most violent neighborhood in the battalion's area of operations. The Joint Security Station is called JSS Thrasher in honor of Sgt. Robert Thrasher, a 2-12 Cav Soldier killed in action on Feb. 11. Sgt. Thrasher died from combat wounds suffered during a joint cordon and search in southern Ghazaliya.