1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Iraq Novembe 2006 Page 2

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Unit Updates
2006

A Company, B Company, C Company

November 15, 2006

A COMPANY – GATOR

-------------

We are less than a month away from redeployment and the Soldiers remain focused
and committed to the fight ahead. Although eager to get home, all understand what is expected of us
in the remaining weeks. We will continue to execute strike operations and deny the enemy a chance to breathe.
Additionally, we are preparing for the upcoming Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority (RIP/TOA)
by B Company, 2^nd Squadron, 5^th Cavalry Regiment beginning in late November.
This is an extremely important event and one that we will not take lightly. It is our responsibility
to show the incoming unit all that we have learned about the enemy and the specific ways that he fights
inside of our area, about the people and tribes that will either make you successful or hinder your operations,
and also the techniques and procedures we could have done better in the beginning of our time in this area.
We will ensure we have done all we can to prepare them so that they will not start from scratch
and make the same mistakes we did and to further the success in this area and defeat the insurgents.

I would also like to let you know of the remarkable impact that these Soldiers have had on this area
and our mission in Iraq over the last six months in particular. Upon our arrival,
the insurgents were driving out the Shia families. Insurgents were attempting to establish a footprint
and secure their area as a sanctuary where they lived, planned, and projected attacks in our area.
Before our arrival, the insurgency had displaced over 100 Shia families. Since then,
the Soldiers of this company have won over the population – allowing us to gather detailed intelligence
and take the fight directly to the enemy – in a quick and decisive manner.
This resulted in over 100 families moving back to their homes, the killing of several insurgents,
the detention of 60 targeted and 25 non-targeted insurgents, and numerous weapon caches found by each platoon.

These are not my accomplishments, but that of the Soldiers and their Platoon and Squad Leaders.
Everyone who knows about counter-insurgency will tell you that this type of war is fought and won at the lowest level –
the squad and platoon. Rarely, do we mass more than one platoon of combat power in any one location
at the same time. Their aggressive attitude and dedication to the mission is demonstrated daily in their actions
at the lowest level, and is subsequently why the people of this area have helped us.

Since June 20^th 2006, these Soldiers have been out in our area 24 hours a day, every day.
They have executed 72-hour continuous operations during the July-August time period in 120 degree heat,
coming into enemy contact almost every day. It is these Soldiers and equally important, the platoon-level leadership,
which has aggressively made the enemy withdraw to other areas. I have watched your Soldiers chase insurgents
over a mile and a half on foot – wearing 100 pounds of gear – and detain them.
They have executed twelve hour combat patrols, and then four hours later conducted a raid
and detained a High Value Target because the mission required the extra combat power.
No matter how great the physical and mental demand of the mission, each Soldier has done everything asked of him
and has exceeded all standards and expectations in the process. These Soldiers are heroes,
and First Sergeant Willis and I are extremely proud to be in the company of such great men.
Soldiers like these are the reason this company and battalion stand out amongst those in Multinational Division – Baghdad.

Lastly, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the families and friends back home
for your continuous support shown to our Soldiers over the last year. Any Soldier who has deployed to this war before
knows that deployment is harder on the loved ones back home than it is on us.
The ones who don’t know will likely figure it out pretty quickly after reuniting with their families.
We understand – but also sometimes lose sight of the fact – that not seeing or hearing about what is happening
from day to day is extremely stressful to say the least. However, the support you provided through the letters,
packages, phone calls, and ability to handle problems in our absence has allowed our Soldiers to remain focused
on the day to day missions, which in turn keeps everyone safer when executing operations outside the wire.
I cannot thank you enough and eagerly anticipate getting the company back to the States
to reunite with our family and friends.

—Captain Drew Conover (Gator 6)

**********************

B COMPANY – BEAR

I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well as the holiday season approaches
and we are now less than 30 days from our return home.

The past month has been a difficult one with the loss of our fallen comrades –
Second Lieutenant Johnny Craver on October 13^th and Private First Class Kevin Ellenburg on November 1^st.
The company gathered on October 20^th and November 6^th, respectively, to celebrate their lives, service,
and to say goodbye. Second Lieutenant Craver is survived by his wife, Natalie, and his children,
Casondra, Savanah, Caelen, and Emma. Private First Class Ellenburg is survived by his father, Kenneth,
his mother, Julie Nethery, and his brother, Andrew. Please keep them in your prayers.

Continuing the mission for which they sacrificed, the Soldiers of Team Bear have been successful
in preventing IED attacks on Coalition Forces operating along key routes in the Yusafiyah area this past month.
Due to the Soldiers’ vigilance, attacks along these routes have decreased greatly
over the six weeks since our arrival to Task Force Polar Bear.

Additionally, we are now well into the redeployment process and have completed numerous tasks
to include barracks closeout, medical screening, and container packing and inspection.
Our advanced party of two Soldiers departed theater recently and will assist the rear detachment
in final preparations for our arrival back at Fort Hood. Our replacement company is set arrive Mahmudiyah
in a few short days and we will begin our final tasks of transferring equipment and sharing the information
and lessons learned we have learned over the past year.

Congratulations to Private Kyle and his wife, Jennifer, on the birth of their healthy daughter, Kiara on November 1^st.

Congratulations also to the following Soldiers who have earned recent promotions:

Sergeant Dustin Wright to Staff Sergeant
Specialist Micah Blanton to Sergeant
Private First Class Robbie Kyle to Specialist

Finally, I’d like to congratulate our four Soldiers who have reenlisted since the last newsletter –
Sergeant First Class Reginald Porcher, Sergeant Jaysan Arnote, Sergeant James Blaylock, and Specialist Thomas Tonar.
Thank you to them and their loved ones for their continued commitment and sacrifice.

Thank you for your continued support, thoughts, and prayers. I appreciate your understanding and patience
through what has been a challenging year for us all. As we prepare to meet our replacements
from the 1^st Cavalry Division, we anticipate completion of our current mission
so we may return home to enjoy the holiday season with our loved ones.

—Captain Matthew Weber (Bear 6)

**********************

C COMPANY – COPPERHEAD

Family and Friends of Copperhead Company,

Our mission in Iraq may be coming to a close soon, but the company remains focused on the fight
and there are still a few key things that we want to accomplish before we hand off the battle.
This past month we have had some great success while at the same time we have suffered some tragic blows.
Despite the losses we have received, the company has continued to perform extremely well
in the face of a persistent enemy and will have truly earned a heroes welcome when they return.

On October 17, 2006, an IED strike occurred that resulted in Second Lieutenant Christopher Loudon,
Corporal Russell Culbertson, and Corporal Joseph Dumas of Second Platoon, Corporal David Unger
from Headquarters Platoon, and our interpreter Jack being killed in action.

Sadly that was not the only casualties we felt this month as on November 1^st we suffered another tragic loss
with the death of Private First Class Kevin Ellenburg from our attached mechanized infantry platoon from B Company.
We held extremely emotional memorial services here for our fallen heroes that were attended by members
of their platoons, friends and chains of command who all came to pay their final respects.
Personally kneeling in front of the pictures of our Soldiers with their dog tags in my hand
is a feeling I never care to experience again.

Please note that although the enemy hit us hard on those two days it has not gotten the best of us,
as the company continues to take the fight to the enemy and we will not let him defeat us,
if for no other reason that to honor our fallen comrades.

As for some specifics on how we have been taking the fight to the enemy, we have had great success finding IEDs
before they detonated; found six large caches of enemy military munitions, weapons and IED making material;
and made several key arrests. On November 3^rd, our mechanized Infantry platoon (Bear Red)
and our Third Platoon (Copperhead Blue) both played an integral part in the killing and capturing of insurgents
that were establishing illegal checkpoints in one of our villages. Since that day when three of the insurgents
were killed and several others were detained…we have not had another instance of an illegal checkpoint.

It has also taken some time, but we are starting to get some people to talk about the insurgents
and the other night the Company Headquarters, Mortar Platoon, and Third Platoon conducted a series of raids
on several target houses that resulted in detaining eleven insurgents ranging from IED emplacer to the cell financier.
Some of the intelligence used to detain a high level weapons trafficker was based on information
gathered by Second Platoon during a raid on a target house just a few days before. This was a great series of operations –
huge successes – and the local nationals in the area were very happy to be rid of such bad people.
Third Platoon was also able to detain the IED triggerman responsible for the attack on October 17^th.
Most recently we conducted an operation to cordon off the entire town of Khan Dari then clear house to house
with the Iraqi Army. The mission was a success and the people of the town feel much safer now
as a result of our efforts to help secure their area. Again, I could not be more proud of the way the company
and all the attachments have performed this month and since I took command.

First Platoon continues to do great things in Mahmudiyah as they serve with Team Bear...
rolling out the gate in their tanks and engaging the enemy with lethal accuracy on several occasions.
While it is never easy to give up one of your platoons to another company, I know that they are in good hands
and they are doing a great job representing the company well. I know Team Bear is treating them well
but I look forward to getting them back as part of the company soon.

This month we have had the opportunity to promote Sergeant Matthew Krepp from Specialist to Sergeant.
Sergeant Krepp has been doing a fantastic job as the senior line medic for the company
and it was a great honor to be able to promote such a well deserving Soldier.
Two other well deserving Soldiers that I promoted this month were Specialist Branden Thompson
and Private First Class Rogelim DosSantos. Both men have contributed so much to the company
and were ready for the next level of responsibility.

This month several Soldiers have also taken the opportunity to reenlist for continued service while still in Iraq.
On November 3^rd, Major General Thurman reenlisted Private First Class Bryan Ortega to be a Blackhawk crew chief.
The impromptu speech he gave that day on why he wanted to reenlist really caught Major General Thurman’s attention
and renewed my enthusiasm for being a part of such a great organization when I get to work with such great Soldiers.
On November 10^th I was honored to reenlist another great Soldier with a lot of potential
in Private First Class Shawn Campbell. He will also change his occupation and became a Blackhawk mechanic.
I applaud both of these Soldiers for making the effort to renew their commitment to the Army
and continue to serve our country in this time of war.

In closing I want to thank everyone for your support from back in the states throughout this entire deployment.
There are many times that we think we have it tough – and the men have gone through some hard times –
but we sometimes forget or overlook the sacrifices you all have made back there.
I just want to make sure you know we all appreciate your support and your efforts to take care of everything
while we are gone. I look forward to meeting you all very soon and continuing to work with you as we redeploy.

—Captain Ed Kennedy (Snake 6)

**********************

BACK