B36 News - 15 July 2006
***UPDATE***
Be on the look out for two things in the next few days:
Just like the Coalition military in Iraq, the good news doesn't take weekends off. Hmm... maybe there's a connection there...
On with the good news!
Be on the look out for two things in the next few days:
- The next installment of B36 Video News is in production! You can expect to hear from Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and we've even managed to get our hands on a new tape from Osama bin Laden. Also, rumor has it that we've now taken up a sponsor and will be airing our very first commercial. Who could this mysterious sponsor be?
- On Monday I plan to publish the first in my five part series titled, "Winning in Iraq". While I put a lot of effort, thought, and research into it, I also tried to keep it short and to the point. I'd also like to thank those who helped me review and edit this paper, you know who you are!
Just like the Coalition military in Iraq, the good news doesn't take weekends off. Hmm... maybe there's a connection there...
On with the good news!
Does MG Cichowski read B36 News???
Probably not, but a guy can dream can't he? When I was reading the news today I came across the headline referring to the Muthanna transfer. The headline was, "Official: 'One down 17 to go.'"
If you read the post I made on the 13th you'll notice that I closed the article with the same statement. Yeah, I know, it's not like I have a trademark on that kind of saying, but wouldn't it be cool if a GO (General Officer) took inspiration from my blog?
Anyway, this story continues to promote awareness of the transfer of security responsibility back into the hands of the Iraqis. To quote British MG Cooper,“We came not as conquerors but as liberators. Multi-National forces will be available to you if you need help, but I don’t think that will be necessary.”The Kinder, Gentler Assult on Ramadi
Yes, we are a kinder and gentler military. Remember Fallujah and how we whooped up on the bad guys? Well according to COL MacFarland, we won't have the opportunity to kick terrorist butt like we did then. No, his plan is to slowly infiltrate the city with ISF and set up small patrol bases as they go neighborhood by neighborhood. It's an interesting plan and so far it's working.Staff Work
For most leaders in the military, being assigned to work in a staff position is akin to being reprimanded. Most of us would rather be with troops than on staff, but we all have to do our time. The day we make it back into the operations side of the house is a good day. However, without the staff, the ops guys couldn't do their jobs. This is a story about the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) for the 4th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID).Everyone working in the TOC has a part in the success of operations, said Capt. Nicholas Graham, fragmentary order coordinator, HHC, 4th BCT.Operations Roundup
“The TOC basically consolidates all the information from all our different battalions,” explained Graham. “If there is an event that happens out in our battle space, or out on a convoy or patrol, all the information is reported to us here in the TOC and we act accordingly depending on the situation.”
“There is not one function that I can say is the TOC’s bread and butter. There are so many moving pieces and everything must fall into place in order for us to be successful,” said the native of Hanover, Ind.
(full story by PFC Jason Dangle posted in comments)
This is a good summary for some of the operations that took place in the last couple days. Let me try and summarize the summary:
- 1 helo down, both pilots survive, returned to duty
- Coalition forces (CF) killed 4 and captured 5 terrorists including a leader of the Umar Brigade in three seperate operations
- ISF took out insurgents running fake checkpoints and captured 4 in two operations
- Zero CF or ISF casualties
Blown Up, But Alive and Kickin'
The Soldiers pictured here were rolling through Salman Pak when their truck got hit by an IED. The truck came to rest upside-down with the gunner pinned under it. Thanks to quick action and good armor, everyone survived with 10 fingers and 10 toes, all still wiggling. This is how your tax dollars are saving American troops.
posted by MarksMomma at 11:15
BANDIT.THREE.SIX
THE LIZ
THE WIZ
3 Comments:
by Pfc. Jason Dangel
4th BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div
BAGHDAD – The brain, defined as a part of the spine and central nervous system, is responsible for controlling all functions in the human body.
Just like the human brain, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division’s Tactical Operation Center never stops running and operates 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.
The TOC, or command post, manages all operations within the brigade combat team. It is where all brigade staff sections come together to bring their expertise to the “fight,” said Sgt. Maj. Charles Geisewite, operations sergeant major, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th BCT.
“This ‘meeting of the minds’ allows the brigade commander and senior staff to make informed decisions and then implement the plan from one location where all assets are available,” Geisewite explained.
The TOC provides a facility for planning, communication and visualization where the brigade commander and his staff can access command and control resources, he said.
“Inside the CP, the command group has access to real-time data, voice and imagery to make critical decisions rapidly,” said Geisewite, a native of Austin, Texas.
Operations in the command post range from combat operations to peace enforcement, intelligence gathering, information operations, policing, essential services and a multitude of other operations requiring a variety of skills to accomplish the combat team’s mission.
“The command post is not the ‘heart;’ that is always the Soldiers that make up the brigade,” Geisewite explained. “Everyone must work together seamlessly in order to function successfully.”
United States military personnel are not the only ones involved in the “Cobra” Brigade’s TOC operations.
As described by Geisewite, the command post is joint and multi-national, meaning representatives from sister services and other Coalition Forces play key roles and vital assets to the Cobra team.
Servicemembers from the U.S. Air Force and Navy, the British army and liaison officers from the Georgian army are all key players in the mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The separate sections and individuals must work together and provide the command group with the information needed to accomplish the mission.
On any given day, the Soldiers operating in the TOC communicate with the brigade’s different battalions and report all significant activity occurring in the area of operations to Multi-National Division – Baghdad headquarters.
Everyone working in the TOC has a part in the success of operations, said Capt. Nicholas Graham, fragmentary order coordinator, HHC, 4th BCT.
“The TOC basically consolidates all the information from all our different battalions,” explained Graham. “If there is an event that happens out in our battle space, or out on a convoy or patrol, all the information is reported to us here in the TOC and we act accordingly depending on the situation.”
“There is not one function that I can say is the TOC’s bread and butter. There are so many moving pieces and everything must fall into place in order for us to be successful,” said the native of Hanover, Ind.
Cpl. John Peters, a new member to the TOC team, who serves as command post of the future operator and radio transmissions operator, with HHC, 4th BCT, said the days can sometimes be very boring but things can change in an instant.
The young noncommissioned officer from Fresno, Calif., reminisced about his time on the ground conducting patrols during his first deployment to Iraq in 2004 and said he felt his experience on the ground helps him successfully accomplish his job in the TOC.
“Sometimes when units on the ground are reporting some kind of an incident, I can visualize what is taking place because I’ve been there and it makes it easier for me to record the event and pass it on to (4th Infantry) Division,” he said.
As the brigade carries on with its mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the TOC will continue to provide command and control assets to all the Soldiers of the 4th BCT.
From informing and guiding units on the ground to ensuring all the components of the facility are properly maintained and functional, the 4th BCT TOC Soldiers remain an important element in the fight for the brigade.
Thanks for this Bandit. The whole Israeli/Hibollah thing has pushed Iraq off the MSM radar, so blogs are the only place to get info about Iraq.
Go Israel!!!!!
The story about the TOC was interesting. I used to work on a unit called Tactical Air Operations Centeral (TAOC) which was part of the Marine Corps Tactical Data Systems (MTDS). I've always been curious about how it would evolve into an integrated battle operations system. Our unit was automated in terms of data aquisition and data transmission with a crew of approx. 20 or so air controllers and could work an area of 300 mi. on a side. It was a hell of a lot of fun.
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