Army 101--Section 1

Well, if any of you are like me, I really didn't know all that much about how the Army segments things out or much about their terminology. So, for the military-impaired here's what all that battery/division/company stuff actually means and how the hierarchy goes:

SQUAD/SECTION – Nine to 10 soldiers. Typically commanded by a sergeant or staff sergeant.

PLATOON – 16 to 44 soldiers. A platoon is led by a lieutenant with a NCO (non-comissioned officer) as second in command, and consists of two to four squads or sections.

COMPANY – 62 to 190 soldiers. Three to five platoons form a company, which is commanded by a captain with a first sergeant as the commander’s principal NCO assistant. An artillery unit of equivalent size is called a battery, and a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop.

BATTALION – 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Four to six companies make up a battalion, which is normally commanded by a lieutenant colonel with a command sergeant major as principal NCO assistant. A battalion is capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope. An armored or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is called a squadron.

BRIGADE – 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers. A brigade headquarters commands the tactical operations of two to five organic or attached combat battalions. Normally commanded by a colonel with a command sergeant major as senior NCO, brigades are employed on independent or semi-independent operations. Armored, cavalry, ranger and Special Forces units this size are categorized as regiments or groups.

DIVISION – 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Usually consisting of three brigade-sized elements and commanded by a major general, divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures. The division performs major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements.

CORPS – 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. Two to five divisions constitute a corps, which is typically commanded by a lieutenant general. As the deployable level of command required to synchronize and sustain combat operations, the corps provides the framework for multi-national operations.

ARMY – 50,000+ soldiers. Typically commanded by a lieutenant general or higher, an army combines two or more corps. A theater army is the ranking Army component in a unified command, and it has operational and support responsibilities that are assigned by the theater commander in chief. The commander in chief and theater army commander may order formation of a field army to direct operations of assigned corps and divisions. An army group plans and directs campaigns in a theater, and is composed of two or more field armies under a designated commander. Army groups have not been employed by the Army since World War II.

Until the next section, study hard. There will be a quiz. :)

Restationing of 2ID After Iraq Deployment

This was announced a few days ago. So what does that mean for our favorite soldier? After Iraq the current plan is that he will NOT go back to Korea, but instead should be stationed in Colorado for the remainder of his commitment. And CO is a much shorter flight than Seoul! Hooah! (Of course this IS the Army we are talking about, so anything can change at any time, but this is the current plan.) There's also a story in Stars and Stripes about this announcement.

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ARMY ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY RESTATIONING OF 2-2 ID

September 23, 2004

The Department of the Army announced today the temporary relocation of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, or 2-2 ID, from Korea to Fort Carson, Colo., following its current deployment to Iraq. This action will result in an increase of approximately 3,700 military authorizations at Fort Carson. The Army projects this temporary relocation for late summer 2005.

Temporary stationing of 2-2 ID now is operationally imperative to ensure the Army is postured to fully support its strategic commitments. Additionally, the 2-2 ID will transform to a campaign-quality force with joint and expeditionary capabilities that meet the demands of combatant commanders.

Fort Carson was selected based on existing facility capacities, available training space, and current locations of similar units. Family members of the unit’s soldiers will soon begin relocating to Fort Carson. This restationing decision will provide stability and predictability to Soldiers and their families’ lives and supports the Army’s plan to stabilize the force. This stationing action does not involve the relocation of any Department of Defense civilian authorizations.

Earlier this summer the Department of Defense had announced that 2-2 ID would be part of the realignment of forces overseas and would not return to its bases in South Korea, but no U.S. destination was announced. The Army will address permanent stationing through the Base Realignment and Closure 2005 analysis.

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For more information on 2-2 ID restationing, media may contact Lt. Col. Gerard Healy or Maj. Pete Janhunen, OCPA (MRD) at Comm. (703) 692-2000. This document is available on Army Link, a World Wide Web site on the Internet at http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/press/index.html.

Rory Check-in

Got a short email from Rory this AM in response to a question I sent him. So, he is safe and hanging in there, though very busy.

I am always grateful and relieved whenever any of us hear from him. :)

A Note on MilBlogs

Hi folks. Not a lot of news out of Rory's camp right now, so I haven't posted in the past few days; but given all the other horrifying things the news has been reporting in other areas of Iraq, I am A-okay with that.

So, I thought I would write today about the MilBlog. First, for those of you who don't know, a "blog" is short for "web log", which is essentially an online diary (like this one). A blog often revolves around a particular topic, but may also be a person's thoughts on anything--it's really up to the blogger. Since the Blogger software became available, we really have a lot more information direct from our soldiers than in any other conflict. Many troops in the services have their own blogs that they initially started as a way to keep up with family and friends, but the general public started reading them. I have found their stories of Iraq incredibly interesting and it really helps me to hear their accounts of daily life. Unfortunately some of these troops have been censored because higher ups were worried about jeopardizing operational security.
Others continue to blog (thankfully), but are careful in the details that they post. The topic of Milblogs has been covered by NPR, the LA Times, the Washington Post and many others. Below are just a couple of the blogs that I visit on a daily basis in order to keep up with the situation over there.

Please read these only if you are prepared to hear details and the truth as each individual perceives it. Some may find the information in these overwhelming. If you do opt to "delve in", it is important to remember that each camp, branch, unit and general situation can be very different from the next, so what you read may or may not be similar to Rory's particular circumstance or environment. For example, some troops' living conditions are much better than others. What you can take away is that you will be a more educated person on the topic of this war--and in my book knowledge, though sometimes burdensome, has always been power.

My War
(This was by far my favorite and most informative blog by a soldier stationed in Mosul. Many of the original posts were removed, and now the soldier mostly posts commentary from other sources that he tends to agree with. I have all the orginal posts in a word document. If anybody wants to read them, you can email me.)

American Soldier
Posting by a soldier in the Army stationed in Iraq.

Dagger Jag
A blog by a lawyer stationed in Iraq with the 1st Infantry Division's, 2nd (DAGGER) Brigade

A Line in the Sand
A view of the war through the eyes of a signal soldier. Be sure to check out the photo gallery.

Life in This Girl's Army
A blog from the rare perspective of a female serving in the Army stationed in Iraq.

Being the typical Libra that I am, I always strive for a balanced view. There are also several Iraqi citizens (not insurgents) who have been chronicling the war. I don't always agree with or like what they say, but I have come to respect their perspective and to seek out the similarities in our goals as humans wanting to live in a peaceful world, instead of looking for our differences. It's important to remember that they do not represent all Iraqis, but they are opinions that can make you think about things from a different perspective. Here are two pretty popular blogs:

A Family In Baghdad
This family has been journalling about the war and the aftermath. The mother and three sons all write about it in separate blogs. Faiza, the mother's blog is my favorite. She blogs in both Arabic and English.

Baghdad Burning
A politcal opinion blog from a young Iraqi woman focusing on war, the occupation and politics.

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend. Take care.

Scratch That...

Okay...so we just all love Rory so much that we can't help ourselves! Sorry Ror...I guess it just feels like it's really good to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to help you.

He has actually asked that we NOT send crates of stuff for the kids directly to him as he doesn't have the space or means to distribute it. Just smalls amount from time to time. So if you still want to help the children I recommend that all large quantity donations be shipped to the Helping Iraqi Schools organization. They will be extremely thankful for your help!

Otherwise, write Rory a letter and tell him that you are thinking about him...I know I am! :)

For the Children...

In one of the first phone calls Rory made to his mother after getting to Iraq he commented on how impoverished the children are there. These children have very little and when I say little--I mean to the extreme. Very little clothing, school supplies, medicine etc. Rory commented on how badly their lips were chapped from the scorching desert sun and how very few had any shoes. The pictures I have seen online remind me of the children I have seen wondering the streets in Mexico and India.

The children in Iraq are often the ones to save our soldier's lives by pointing out IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) that they find or have seen being set. And (much to my chagrin) they even often cut the wires themselves. When soldiers go out on patrol, the children flock to them. Often when relations are strained between locals who are untrusting of occupation soldiers the gap is can be bridged through the kindness shown towards their children. This was the case when some of the troops started collecting school supplies for the Iraqi children, and I encourage you to take a look at their results to date and latest update.

When asked what he needed, Rory only asked for small items that he could carry in his pockets to give to the kids that will help them and let them know that he cares. This is exactly what I would expect of Rory, being the caring and selfless individual that he is. So, The Youth Group of the First United Methodist Church of St. Charles is in the process of fund raising and collecting chapstick and flip-flops to send to Rory's platoon to hand out. If you would like to donate to the cause, please contact Stephanie Finke or Vicki Sherony.

In this time of chaos I am glad that there is some humanity left in the world, especially where Rory and his fellow soldiers are. If that love and humanity can be found and brought about in the smile of a child or the purr of kitten then I am happy and perhaps it will put a smile on Rory's his face as well.

Photos That Will Never Make the News...

Rory and many other soldiers have commented that the news always portrays the most negative of pictures. As I scour the net on a daily basis for information, it is true that there is not a lot of positive coverage, but then again, this is war. I can say that there are certainly much worse reporting agencies out there than CNN, particularly the coverage that comes from the Middle East news organizations.

That being said, this is an email that has been circling the net and was forwarded to me by Vicki and I thought it was worth reposting and sharing with all of you:

Photos That Will Never Make the News











Sometimes in our everyday lives we tend to forget what's going on elsewhere in the world and that the brave men and women of the service are just like you and I. They have family and friends back home who love them very much and are praying for their safe return.

When you read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops (land, air, and sea) in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, and around the world. Of all the gifts you could give the US Military, Prayer is the very best one.....

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen."

Monday News Reports

This is recap of the ops that happened last week. We did hear from Rory Friday morning and he is safe, but was tired from some long hours.

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2nd BCT hopes to keep Ramadi from turning into another Fallujah

By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, September 20, 2004
RAMADI, Iraq — Dozens of M1A1 Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, and armored Humvees took to the streets of Ramadi this week as soldiers patrolled neighborhoods, searching for weapons and insurgents.

The massive offensive was designed to root out insurgents attempting to turn Ramadi into another Fallujah, something the U.S. military is determined to prevent, said 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment commander Col. David Clark, whose unit was part of the operation.

Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, including 1-506; 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment; and two battalions from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force moved into Ramadi early Thursday morning.

Explosions and machine gun fire rocked the city throughout the day. But most blasts were controlled detonations set off by soldiers firing .50 caliber machine guns at roadside bombs, Clark said.

Most citizens stayed indoors during the operation. In the main street, where many buildings are pockmarked with bullet holes from earlier battles, shops were closed. The combat team reported one fatality during the operation, a Marine killed by a makeshift bomb.

The offensive was designed to finish off insurgents who had fought a bloody battle with Marines in Ramadi earlier in the week near the city’s largest sports stadium, Clark said.

Claims that insurgents already dominate Ramadi in the same way that they do Fallujah are not accurate, Clark said. But the insurgents are trying to establish themselves in the city, he said.

“There had been relatively heavy fighting in there for a day or two before. We moved in to try to get the city back under control, re-establish a presence and provide the protection to keep the government firmly in control.

“We don’t want this to turn into another Fallujah, which is what we think the bad guys are trying to do,” Clark said.

Soldiers from the 1-506 found several roadside bombs on Thursday and detained two Iraqis dressed as police officers but lacking identification, he said. Soldiers from the 1-503 uncovered a weapons cache and fired at an Iraqi who failed to respond to warnings when he approached a checkpoint.

Staff Sgt. Calvin Drakeford, 40, a medic with 1-503’s Company D, spent a long, hot day waiting to rush across the battlefield to treat wounded soldiers. He was relieved that the call never came.

“I expected a lot of casualties. I knew we were coming into a city where we might have enemies unwilling to cooperate with us,” he said.

“It is quiet, aside from the prayers,” he said as an Imam chanted “Allah Akhbar” (God is great) through a loudspeaker at a nearby mosque.

“And the explosions,” added fellow Company D medic, Pfc. Michael Boyd, 21, of Rex, Ga., who heard several large booms in the neighborhood during the night.

“I expected to hear that. I heard there was an 85 percent chance of people taking fire through here, but we are fairing pretty well,” he said.

Moments later another loud blast shook the street, sending a plume of gray smoke into the air in the next block.

Nearby, Company D soldier Pvt. Joshua Molt, 19, of Lake City, Fla., patrolled along a set of railway tracks that commanders thought insurgents might use to flee the city. The young soldier, fresh from basic training, enjoyed his first experience of a brigade level operation, and sounded relieved it was relatively quiet.

“I haven’t seen anything and I really don’t want to see anything,” he said.

Sgt. Wilcox Miner, also of Company D, found four rockets, launchers, a blasting cap detonation cord, three cakes of plastic explosive and an artillery round in one neighborhood.

The 23-year-old Palau native was searching the roadside while other soldiers manned a traffic control point at a T-intersection in Ramadi when he spotted the cache under some cinderblocks.

Another Company D soldier, Staff Sgt. William McInnis, 25, of Baton Rouge, La., was surprised the insurgents did not put up more of a fight.

“We expected a lot more than what we got. The intel said they were going to stay and fight. We had one big explosion nearby but we never found out what it was. It was early in the morning and scared the piss out of all of us,” he said.

A Strike Force official said the mission drove the bulk of the insurgents out of the city.

“Our goal ... is to work hand-in-hand with our Iraqi counterparts to make this a safer area for Iraqis to live and work. Anti-coalition forces have entered and terrorized this city in recent weeks. They have caused a fair amount of fear with the local population. We wanted to ensure the citizens of Ramadi that Iraqi and coalition forces are in the city protecting them,” the official said.

“In addition to nabbing a few suspected fighters, we gathered intelligence that will help us in future operations and uncovered weapons caches that will help us keep illegal weapons off the street,” he said.