Soldiers of Battery A, Task Force 2-11, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, converse with Iraqi army soldiers while maintaining security during T-wall removal in the city of Samarra, Salah ad Din province, Iraq. Lt. Col. Andy Preston, commander, Task Force 2-11, and Lt. Col. Ghayath, director of the Samarra Joint Coordination Center, led the planning team that developed the Samarra security project, which includes the removing T-walls on the streets leading to the mosque, revitalizing markets on those streets, and installing new security equipment to maintain security for pilgrims, Samarra citizens and the mosque itself. The removal of the security barriers signified vast improvements in security for a once embattled city. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Pete Cox

Two days before the fifth anniversary of the bombing of Al Askari “Golden” Mosque, the security barriers protecting one of the holiest Shia shrines in Iraq came down.

“This is a great day for Samarra, and a great day for all of Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Andy Preston, commander, Task Force 2-11, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.

“I’m happy for the citizens of Samarra, who will finally see their city restored,” said Preston, who hails from Edmond, Okla.

Following the bombing of the Al Askari Mosque, Feb. 22, 2006, U.S. and Iraqi security forces implemented enhanced security measures to protect the mosque and the Shia pilgrims who visit each year.

U.S. forces, working with Iraqi security forces, blockaded large portions of the city with “T-walls,” tall expediently emplaced concrete barriers that have become a common site across Iraq.

After Iraqis rebuilt the mosque, the T-walls remained, blocking pilgrims from the once vibrant marketplaces which colored the streets leading to the holy site.

Iraqi security forces required visitors to be escorted through blockaded T-wall channels to and from the mosque, a process which drastically impaired the tourism-based economy of Samarra.

“We have been working so hard on this project for so long, it is hard to believe it is finally happening,” said Lt. Col. Ghayath, director of the Samarra Joint Coordination Center, a site designed to synchronize the security efforts of U.S. forces, Iraqi army, Iraqi police, federal police and the Sons of Iraq.

“The people of Samarra wanted this for a very long time, and the security forces made it possible,” said Ghayath, who serves as the primary liaison between U.S. forces and the Samarra Operations Center.

The Samarra Operations Center, the command that oversees all Iraqi security forces in Samarra and much of southern Salah ad Din, developed the plan to leave T-walls around the mosque in place until a new permanent protective structure is built, said Ghayath.

ISF will maintain the re-established security in Samarra using additional police, security cameras, X-ray machines and better control of the site, he said.

Although the combined planning team primarily focused on security for pilgrims, local citizens and the mosque, other issues played an important role.

“One of the biggest problems we faced in Samarra was the lack of available employment,” Preston said. “No matter where you are in the world, people with no money and no prospects are more likely to turn to crime and violence than those who have the ability to make a way for themselves legitimately. Re-opening these markets by taking down the T-walls will provide that legitimate opportunity.”
Preston and his task force are not the first to attempt restoration of Samarra to its potential.

Two battalion commanders who preceded Preston worked alongside the leadership of Samarra through partnered efforts aimed at repairing damaged sections of the city and providing small business grants to shopkeepers to help prepare their stores for the day when the T-walls would come down.

“I wish I could see the faces of [Lt. Col.] Sam Whitehurst and [Lt. Col.] Eric Timmerman when they hear the news,” Preston said of the commanders of the last two U.S. units in Samarra—both personal friends. “I know that they truly cared about the people of Samarra and that they would love to be able to celebrate with their old friends.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Berk Parsons, senior enlisted leader of Task Force 2-11, conveyed the significance of the T-wall removal as an indication of progress in Samarra in terms of security.

“The city of Samarra holds a significant place in the history of Iraq,” he said. “Unfortunately, what most know about the city’s role is its contemporary history, specifically concerning its connection to the sectarian violence.”

“The progress of the Samarra government and the Iraqi security forces set the conditions which allow the city to begin its return to its former prestige,” Parsons said. “The removal of the T-walls is a tangible symbol and a phenomenal progression towards the city’s restoration.”

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An image of the Golden Mosque Jan. 20 from the rooftop of a hotel, as it is currently being rebuilt and restored after being bombed by insurgents, Feb. 22, 2006. Photo by Spc. Shantelle Campbell

During a recent visit to the ancient city of Samarra, Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby, the United States Corps –Iraq commander, walked along the city’s streets with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division commander, Col. Henry A. Arnold, III and the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment commander, Lt. Col. Eric Timmerman.

As they made their way to the rooftop of a hotel across from the Golden Mosque, which is currently being rebuilt and restored to its original form, one couldn’t help but notice the evident change that has taken place in a city that was nearly destroyed by war.

On Feb. 22, 2006, the Al-Askari Mosque, or the Golden Mosque was bombed, setting off a chain of sectarian violence in the city. Then, June 13, 2007, terrorists attacked the mosque again, destroying two minarets and the clock tower. Despite the attacks on this prominent landmark and sacred mosque, the citizens of Samarra have made significant progress to restore peace.

In the past three years, violence has significantly decreased as Iraqi security forces have taken the lead to provide security of the city. According to Arnold during a recent interview with the New York Times, the improvements that have been made in the city are a result of the citizens rejecting terrorists and the professionalism of the Iraqi security forces.

There is a feeling of peace and security now, as markets are open and children are playing in the streets.

“The citizens are calling in reports,” he said during the interview. “The people have turned against violent extremists.

“I walk around in ACU’s and a soft cap; no body armor, no helmet. I walk to the mosque, something I would not have been able to do in 2006.”

There are future plans being made for Samarra like removing the protective t-walls surrounding the mosque; installing a decorative gate that can be opened and closed to pedestrians as security dictates; and installing security cameras.

Along the streets, Iraqi civilians stood outside their shops or paused long enough to gesture or say “hello” to the commanders as they moved toward their destination. After reaching the rooftop of the hotel, the group walked to the side of the roof that faced the ancient mosque which was still a sight to see even without the 72,000 golden plates that once adorned its dome.

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Story by Spc. Shantelle Campbell

Iraq prepares for H1N1 flu pandemic

Doctors in Salah ad Din province are taking the threat of H1N1 seriously. They are taking no chances in preparing for pandemic influenza.

“They view it as a serious problem,” said Dr. Marcus, an advisor for the Salah ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team.

With the announcement of the global flu pandemic and growing fears of an H1N1 outbreak within the country, the doctors in Salah ad Din province took action. Weeks of clinical preparations, public health announcements and professional preparations culminated in the mid-July provincial H1N1 Influenza summit in Tikrit, Iraq.

Six leading physicians from the Tikrit University College of Medicine, the Tikrit Teaching Hospital and the Salah ad Din Health Directorate, along with an American preventive medicine physician from the US military, presented on topics that ranged from the epidemiology of H1N1 to public health controls to prevent and respond to an outbreak in the province.

Clean water restored to Iraqi villages

For residents of the villages of Qalata and Khalkhalan, Iraq, access to a cup of clean drinking water is not always as easy as going to the faucet and pouring one. The current water purification plant that supplies both villages no longer produces clean, drinkable water, requiring residents to travel to a nearby city.

But soon the nearly 7,000 residents of the villages will only have to travel to their water pumps to get purified water.

“Local contractors are set to begin refitting the old water purification plant so it produces water people can actually drink,” said Hameed Faqi, the director of municipality for the villages.

“Right now all you can use the water from the old plant for is washing clothes and showering,” said Othman Hassen, a member of the district council.

Microgrants restores business around Samarra’s Golden Mosque

The area around the Al Askari “Golden” Mosque of Samarra, Iraq, once thrived as an open-air market serving thousands of visitors every year. Iraqi and U.S. forces are working to guarantee security, and that means more than safety. It also means rebuilding the economy.

Joined by Samarra Mayor Mahmood Khalaf Ahmed, U.S. Soldiers with the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion and the 25th Infantry Division’s 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, distributed $2.5 million in small-business grants to more than 900 local store owners, Aug. 3 to 5.

Following the bombing of the Golden Mosque in February 2006, business plummeted. Some shops shut down due to security concerns and the placement of protective barriers around the city.

“The closure of the stores around the Golden Mosque truly hurt the economy of Samarra,” Ahmed said. “Many of the visitors to the city would come and shop and provide the much-needed money for the city. With these microgrants, we will be able to return being the strong, economic city that we were in previous years.”

The Iraqi government and U.S. forces have allocated millions of dollars in grants for small-business owners, and to those who wish to become small-businesses owners, to revitalize the economy. The grants ranged from $2,500 to $10,000.

Maj. Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti (left), commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, awards the Bronze Start Medal with Valor to Sgt. James Carter Jr., of St. Robert, Mo., assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div., Multi-National Division - Baghdad, May 22, at Joint Security Station Loyalty, located in the 9 Nissan District of eastern Baghdad. Scaparrotti awarded Carter for his actions in combat following an improvised explosive device attack on his convoy on July 17, 2007, in Samarra, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alex Licea

For Sgt. James Carter, his Iraq experience this time around is shaped by his experiences during his first tour in 2006.

As a line medic, the 33-year-old from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division—Baghdad, was credited for saving the lives of his fellow paratroopers during combat missions during one of the most violate times in Iraq during his last tour.

Now, as a non-commissioned officer, the St. Robert, Mo., native takes pride in teaching junior medics the responsibilities of the job. It is a change he welcomes.

“As an NCO, my role has changed in that now I am the teacher, and I try to incorporate realistic, tough training to prepare our medics for the great responsibility of being ‘Doc’,” he said.

It was that realistic training that gave Carter the skills he needed during an escort mission on July 17, 2007.

While serving as a platoon medic with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the company was conducting an explosive ordnance disposal escort mission along a major supply route in Samarra, Iraq.

During this patrol, a massive improvised explosive device detonated inside a culvert, causing a catastrophic effect under a U.S. Navy EOD vehicle. The enormous explosion threw the vehicle high into the air, causing it to land on its side; trapping the three Navy EOD personnel inside.

Carter risked his life by entering the burning vehicle in order to extract the trapped personnel. As a result of the attack, two of the EOD members were killed in action, however Sgt. Carter’s was able to save one member of the team in an act of true bravery.

For his actions in Samarra, Carter was presented the Bronze Star Medal with valor device, May 22, by the 82nd Airborne Division commander, Maj. Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, while visiting troops deployed to Baghdad.

Carter credits his fellow paratroopers for allowing him to do his job under the most stressful of situations.

“They were right there with me pulling security while I worked to save lives,” he said. “I own a lot to them because I couldn’t have done it on my own.”

“Sgt. Carter represents the very best of the 2nd Panther Team and the Army. He displayed selfless-service by entering the burning vehicle multiple times embodying the spirit of the Army Values,” said Lt. Col. Louis Zeisman, commander of the 2nd Bn., 505th Parachute Inf. Regt., of Fayetteville, N.C. “Sgt. Carter’s actions truly define the meaning of a hero.”

Life in uniform is nothing new in Carter’s family. His father served in the Marine Corps and then the Army. Carter’s father also served two tours during the Vietnam conflict.

Along with his valorous award, Carter was recently selected as the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s Medic of the Year during a board held in Baghdad.

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Story by Sgt. 1st Class Alex Licea

(From left to right) Sergeant 1st Class Jarion Halbisengibbs, recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, Capt. Matthew Chaney and Sgt. 1st Class Michael Lindsay, recipients of the Silver Star, received their awards during a ceremony at the Special Events Center , Fort Carson, Colo., May 14. (Photo by Spec. Henrique L. de Holleben)

Sgt. 1st Class Jarion Halbisengibbs received the Distinguished Service Cross, while Capt. Matthew A. Chaney and Sgt. 1st Class Michael D. Lindsay received the Silver Star during an award ceremony at the Special Events Center, May 14.

The Special Forces Soldiers from Operational Detachment Alpha 083, received the medals for their heroism in action on Sept. 10, 2007.

Advising a combined assault element of Iraqi National Police on an intelligence driven raid, their mission was to capture a high value Islamic State of Iraq terrorist who was running a kidnapping and extortion ring.

Adm. Eric T. Olson, United States Special Operations Command commander, and Lt. Gen. John T. Mulholland Jr., United States Army Special Operations Command commander, presented the awards to the Soldiers with more than 700 present to witness the historic ceremony.

“You have listened to and read the account of that night on 10 September 2007, a mission that asked the best of some of our nation’s finest,” said Olson speaking to the guests in attendance.

“This was ODA 083, a Green Beret A-Team in action, under pressure, at risk,” Olson added. “Sergeant Halbisengibbs exemplifies the spirit and ethos of these warriors. He is a gifted team member and individual soldier, one who raises the performance and morale of those around him. Today we will also recognize two more of them, Captain Chaney and Sergeant 1st Class Lindsay, for their extraordinary courage in that action.”

During that raid, three team members, Chaney, Lindsay, and Halbisengibbs, demonstrated exceptional bravery and valor in close combat while they succeeded in eliminating a heavily armed and entrenched enemy force from within a fortified stronghold.

Around 2 a.m., after infiltrating by air into an unplanned landing zone less than 30 meters from the enemy position, Chaney directed the assault force towards the targeted buildings.

Facing both “brown-out” conditions caused by the rotor wash of the helicopters and only 10 percent illumination, the assault force immediately came under enemy fire. Undaunted, these three Special Forces leaders directed their Iraqi counterparts and initiated the assault on the array of buildings.

After clearing the closest structure, the assault element immediately came under enemy machine gun fire from the furthest building, approximately 50 meters away, causing a dangerous pause in the momentum of the assault.

Working in concert, these three leaders immediately redirected their assault element towards the most urgent threat, the third building.

Lindsay and Halbisengibbs killed three insurgents who were firing from the building as the Force assaulted. Chaney and Lindsay then placed themselves in a critical position at the breach point, while Halbisengibbs prepared to employ a fragmentation grenade.

Before the assault force entered, his fragmentation grenade killed two of the enemy fighters waiting inside.

Within seconds of when the three entered the building, the three killed two more enemy fighters. While trying to acquire targets through the haze caused by the grenade blast, Chaney and Lindsay were strafed by intense AK-47 fire.

Chaney was shot through the pelvis, hip, and buttocks while Lindsay received gunshot wounds to the throat and abdomen.

Despite their serious wounds, they – along with Halbisengibbs – continued to engage the enemy inside until an enemy grenade exploded and wounded all three, propelling Chaney and Lindsay back through the door of the house and out into the courtyard. The grenade blast sent Halbisengibbs to the floor and, hit with shrapnel, he sustained wounds to his firing hand and damage to his radio and night vision device.

As Chaney and Lindsay lay wounded and exposed in the courtyard, the remainder of the assault force continued to fight insurgents in the other structures.

Chaney, although suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, continued to exercise command, and while directing actions on the objective, killed another insurgent who was firing at him from an open door.

As a result of the grenade blast, Lindsay had been thrown into the line of fire from another enemy position to the east of the main building but, ignoring his wounds, he continued to engage the enemy.

With Chaney and Lindsay blown from the building, Halbisengibbs realized he was wounded and alone inside the target building. As enemy fire had destroyed his radio and damaged his night vision device, his vision was impaired and he was unable to contact the remainder of the assault force to request support. Taking immediate and decisive action, Halbisengibbs leapt to his feet and quickly cleared the room.

Making his way out to the courtyard, SSG Halbisengibbs immediately passed a verbal status report to his ODA indicating his status but could continue to fight. During the course of relaying this message, he immediately came under small arms fire at close range from an enemy position not yet cleared by the national police assault force.

As Halbisengibbs reacted to the threat, he was shot in the abdomen; the bullet traveling through his stomach and exiting at his hip. Ignoring this second debilitating gunshot wound, he engaged and killed the enemy within 12 feet of his position.

Halbisengibbs then took cover and rallied the remainder of the Iraqi National Police and assisted in securing the objective area. Only when the enemy was eliminated and the objective was secure, did he reveal the seriousness of his wounds and accept medical attention.

Sergeant 1st Class Jarion Halbisengibbs, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) receives the Distinguished Service Cross from Adm. Eric T. Olson, United States Special Operations Command commander, during a ceremony at the Special Events Center , Fort Carson, Colo., May 14. (Photo by Spec. Henrique L. de Holleben)

After the force was firmly in control of the objective, the three were evacuated to the Combat Support Hospital in Balad. These three Special Forces leaders had led their Iraqi National Police counterparts in a highly successful operation during which time they had demonstrated immeasurable fortitude and valor. Their personal example, which involved killing nine of the enemy in close combat, resulted in the death and capture of several enemy terrorists, including the intended target.

Chaney’s valorous leadership that night and unwavering dedication to mission accomplishment, despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, made a significant contribution to defeating Al Qaeda operations in the Samarra area.

Chaney’s bullet and shrapnel wounds kept him in Balad for 24 hours where he received his initial surgery before transport to Landstuhl, Germany. During the next eight days, he underwent two additional surgeries before final transport and care at Evans Army Hospital here at Fort Carson. Chaney has returned to duty, having recently returned from another deployment in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and just completed the Special Forces Combat Divers Qualification Course.

Lindsay demonstrated unparalleled valor in the face of a determined enemy and directly contributed to mission success that night.

Lindsay’s bullet and shrapnel wounds were assessed in Balad, prompting immediate transport to Landstuhl where he had almost two feet of his intestines removed. His follow-on stay at Walter Reed lasted three weeks. Since Lindsay received these life-threatening wounds, he has undergone two more surgeries and still carries bullet fragments in his pelvis. He has returned to duty and, like Chaney, has served another tour in Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Halbisengibbs was responsible for single – handedly killing six of the enemy on the objective and personally eliminating a High Value Terrorist.

Surgeons in Balad worked to repair the wounds to Halbisengibbs’ hand and abdomen, during which time they removed 18 cm of his small intestines. He was quickly transported to Landstuhl, and on to Walter Reed with Lindsay, where he stayed for approximately three weeks. He has since received an additional surgery on his hand, has returned to duty, and is ready for the next deployment.

It is the valor of these three Soldiers with their unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership, and tenacity in close combat that led to the successful elimination of a critical terrorist cell. Their quiet professionalism and modesty continues to radiate throughout the unit.

Col. Darsie D. Rogers, Jr., 10th SFG(A) Commander, speaking during the introduction affirmed to all attending that, “the feats of these brave men will forever have a place in history alongside other green berets who have fought the wars before us. These men, and many others like them, answered the call of their nation. They have done so as quiet professionals, as is expected of our green berets and special operators and we pay tribute to the courage of these magnificent soldiers and their selfless service to our nation.”

By 10th SFG (A) Public Affairs Office

So the three Americans, led by Halbisengibbs, assaulted the house. They stacked up outside the doorway, Halbisengibbs threw in a fragmentation grenade, killing two fighters inside as the soldier rushed in. “You could see faceless shapes scurrying around the room grabbing weapons, and less than three seconds we received AK-47 fire,” said Lindsay, who was hit in the throat. Chaney was shot through the pelvis and hip. Moments later, the insurgents threw a grenade, blasting both of them out the door and into the courtyard.

“I was hyperventilating and throwing up,” on the verge of passing out, said Lindsay. Without the strength to lift his rifle, he said he rolled over then pulled out his pistol as enemy bullets flew over his head. “I fired a few rounds so no one would walk over and shoot me,” he said.

Chaney lay in the courtyard, unable to feel his legs, but kept firing his rifle, killing an insurgent shooting a him nearby. Chaney and Lindsay received Silver Stars today for their actions.

Meanwhile, Halbisengibbs “continued to clear the structure in complete darkness as his night vision goggles and personal radio were all destroyed by enemy gunfire at point blank range,” the official narrative said. “Stumbling over a dead enemy, he was shot in the thumb and propelled to the ground by the blast” of the grenade. “Alone, he relentlessly continued to engage the concealed enemy and in a moment of intense close quarters battle killed one additional terrorist inside the now chaotic structure.”

Moving into the courtyard to protect his two comrades who lay exposed there, Halbisengibbs was suddenly shot through the abdomen. “It felt like white hot lightning shooting through my stomach, and I felt my hip pop out,” he said. But even as he fell to the ground he raised his rifle and killed the fighter only 12 feet away.

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