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The Long War Journal indicates that the pace of fighting in Sadr City has slowed ("Attacks decrease in Sadr City; fighting shifts to western Baghdad"). Excerpt:
With the cease-fire agreement between the Sadrist movement and the Iraqi government now in full effect after the four-day grace period that began on May 11, the fighting in Sadr City has decreased, but has not halted. The Mahdi Army continues to attack US and Iraqi troops as they work to complete the barrier along Qods Street in Sadr City, but the attack tempo has slowed, according to Multinational Forces Iraq. The US military believes the fighting has shifted to western Baghdad to deflect attention from Sadr City.From March 25 until last weekend, US and Iraqi security forces were engaged in major battles in Sadr City. Mahdi Army fighters were killed at a rate of nearly 20 per day, during which it was not uncommon for 20 to 30 Mahdi Army fighters to be killed in a single engagement.
By Spc. Elayseah Woodard-Hinton, 20th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska -- Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company of 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, at Fort Wainwright concluded a two-day Air Assault training exercise at the Yukon training center March 18 and 19.
Air Assault training allows Soldiers to stay abreast of tactics that enable them to effectively seize and hold key terrain from enemy forces in a war zone if necessary; therefore, much planning, preparation and teamwork went into completing this task because Soldiers are trained as if they were on a real mission.
Prior to going into the field, the unit was given time to rehearse and check the equipment used during the field training portion of the exercise.
A 4/2 SBCT soldier is briefly interviewed in the following article.
By Lennox Samuels
The young man in the gauzy yellow jumpsuit sits motionless in a reclining chair at the edge of the ward, his knees drawn up in a near-fetal position. His face is puffy from his wounds and he exhibits the stillness of someone who is blind. Indeed, the thick white bandage over his eyes seems to confirm that he is. But a second look takes in a light-brown leather strap that tethers him to the chair, and an American military officer confirms that he is a detainee. There’s nothing wrong with his eyes. The oversized bandage is there to make sure he won’t be able to identify anyone after he is released.
Apprehended because of his actions fighting Coalition forces in Iraq (Only captured or suspected insurgents face such restrictions), the man is a patient at the U.S. Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base. He is an emblem of the facility’s policy of treating anyone, friend or foe, who arrives there needing medical help. The care is world-class at the hospital, which is renowned for its trauma treatment and the skill of its doctors.
Although not Stryker-related I thought the following article was worth sharing.
By CONRAD MULCAHY, The New York Times
When Lt. Col. Michael Zacchea left Iraq in 2005, he was torn. His yearlong mission to train an Iraqi Army battalion had left him wounded and emotionally drained, and he was eager to go. But leaving Iraq also meant leaving Jack, his Iraqi interpreter, to face an insurgency that has made a point of brutalizing those who help the Americans.
In their year together the two had, among other things, thwarted an assassination plot and survived the second battle of Falluja. Even before he departed, Colonel Zacchea began working to ensure that Jack would not be left.
“Once the insurgents get a hold of your name, they never let up until they get you,” Colonel Zacchea said.
Here's a short excerpt of the article - click through for a complete rundown of the planned upgrades.
The US Army plans to improve its fleet of Stryker vehicles wit hthe introduction of improved suspension, increased power generation and distribution, implemented by new power management systems. According to COL Christopher Lockhart, TRADOC Capability Manager, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, since the deployment of Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) in Iraq, Stryker vehicles have been continuously fitted with new electronic systems, including power guzzling Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) jammers and gunshot detection systems. These systems rapidly drain the vehicle's power reserves, particularly when operating 'Silent Watch' with engine turned off. To sustain Silent Watch over extended periods, the introduction of an on-board auxiliary power unit is planned. The suspension will be improved to sustain loads up to 24-27 metric tons (55,000-60,000 lbs.) Lockhart presented the Stryker upgrade path to the audience of the IDGA Tactical Vehicles summit held in Washington DC in April 08. Defense Update was one of the media sponsors of this event. [...]
By MICHAEL GILBERT, The News Tribune
A group of mental health care providers in Washington is offering free help to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families who either can’t or don’t want to go through traditional channels for care.
The Soldiers Project Northwest is modeled after a similar effort in Los Angeles, where volunteer therapists since 2004 have seen clients without charge for help with their war-related problems.
“The war just feels so big. The problems of the country feel so big. This is something that I can do,” said Tim Mallon, a University Place mental health counselor who is taking part in the Northwest effort. “I’ve got the training to do it, and the need is there. It’s pretty simple, really.”
Despite the announcement of a cease fire in Sadr City the fighting continues. The Long War Journal has a new update on the situation (Clashes continue in Sadr City). Excerpt:
Mahdi Army fighters continue to attack US and Iraqi units as they work to complete the barrier along Qods Street in Sadr City. These attacks are occurring despite the truce agreed upon by the Sadrist political block and the Iraqi government. Iraqi and US forces said 10 Mahdi Army fighters during clashes in Sadr City and three more Mahdi fighters were killed elsewhere in Baghdad. Iraqi troops have also begun reinforcing the Shula neighborhood in Baghdad.The Iraqi military said it killed eight “gunmen” inside Sadr City over the past 24 hours. The US military said it killed two Mahdi Army fighters from the night of May 12 to the morning of May 13 during five separate engagements. Three more Mahdi Army fighters were killed in the Mahdi-influenced neighborhood in New Baghdad and in northwestern Baghdad as they planted roadside bombs.
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
VILSECK, Germany – A 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment soldier who deserted while on midtour leave from Iraq will spend the next seven months in confinement.
At a court-martial Tuesday in Vilseck, Pfc. Robert J. Weis pleaded guilty to desertion and missing movement.
In an unsworn statement, Weis, 20, told the court he joined the Army motivated by a desire to protect America from Islamic extremists. However, soon after he joined, his sister’s fiance was killed in a fight at a party, he said.
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained five criminals and 13 suspected criminals in separate events in the West Rashid and Kadhamiyah districts of Baghdad May 11.
At approximately 7 a.m., Soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, detained a known criminal and six other suspected criminals while conducting a population engagement operation in Kadhamiyah.
At approximately 7:45 a.m., Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained a suspect and three other individuals during Operation Tusker Chamberlain in West Rashid.
At approximately 8:00 a.m., MND-B Soldiers detained another suspect and three other individuals allegedly involved in planning improvised-explosives device attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition forces.
At approximately 11:20 a.m., Soldiers with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, seized a munitions cache, west of Baghdad. The cache consisted of a 55-gallon drum filled with more than 300 pounds of homemade explosives. The area was cleared and the munitions were detonated on site.
One of our readers sent a link to the personal website of Arthur Humphries, who I believe is a State Department representative in the Diyala province. He has a number of photos and blog entries featuring the soldiers of 2-1 CAV, 4/2 SBCT. I highly recommend a visit.