Stories from Iraq (Oct. '06 - Nov. '07) - Force Protection Key to FOB Security
Posted: Friday, April 24, 2009
by Ryan Stroud
BAQUBAH, Iraq (Nov. 30, 2006) -- While the Soldiers of the 3rd "Grey Wolf" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division sleep at night, resting their bodies for another day of hard work, members of their team stand ready for anything the outside world can throw at them.
Soldiers from the 215th "Blacksmith" Brigade Support Battalion, rotate guard duties in towers.
Sims is responsible for watching one of the FOB's gates to provide assistance in the event an Iraqi citizen is wounded and brought to the base for medical treatment, he said.
"We will take over, conduct searches and allow medics to come in and do what they do best," Sims said.
"It's also doing our job so the Soldiers can get a good night sleep and will be ready for their duties the next day," added the Bradley mechanic.
The Soldiers work four-hour shifts with an eight-hour break, said Sims. They leave their regular jobs on the FOB for several weeks of security duty. Then, it's back to their jobs.
"This is a daily mission for us, but only for a few weeks," said Tiffiney McCormick, 215 BSB and a native of Fairbury, Ill.
Both Soldiers agreed at times the job might get a little boring, but they are fine with that, knowing their job needs to be done.
"It does get a little boring out here, but, it has to be done," said Sims. "Someone has to
be here to help and that's what we're here for."
"I spend a lot of time up here on guard thinking about things back at home and talking to the other people who are up here," added McCormick, who is a driver for her company. "That really helps pass the time."
"If it wasn't for her talking to me, I would have gone insane," added Sims.
"And you do get tired out here but the cold breeze helps keep you alert," McCormick said. "That'll keep you awake."
McCormick said though some may not see the importance to their guard duties, she takes a sense of pride to what she does.
"There is a sense of pride with this job because if we weren't here -- not just us, but all the watch towers -- the FOB might not be as safe and secure as it is," she said. "We need people here so others can carry on with their duties."
Ryan Stroud is a military trained journalist who has served in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army. Prior to his military experiences, Stroud grew up playing, coaching, and refereeing soccer. Also, Stroud focused many years of his life playing, touring, and recording/producing local music acts. He has a wonderful wife of 4 years, a 2 year old son and a newborn daughter.
Stroud's biggest writing influences are Jim Butcher, Chuck Palahniuk, Edward Lee, Jack Ketchum, Christopher Moore and Ben Fox.
He currently resides in Huntsville, Al, with the 59th Ordnance Brigade at Redstone Arsenal.
Stroud would also like to take a moment to thank his friends who are currently in battle over in Iraq. God bless all of you.
This Article has been viewed 229 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.