Iraq Blog:  April 2008

The following news items are taken from the Blog web site
of the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Commandos

TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008
2-14 Remembers Fallen Soldiers

Spc. Jennie Burrett
2nd BCT Journalist

   The 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (LI) held a memorial ceremony Nov. 30 (Friday) to honor Golden Dragon comrades killed in action while deployed to Iraq.
   The ceremony for the 10 Soldiers was held at the previous 2-14 headquarters, now used by the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT.
   “We are gathered here for the first time since our redeployment as a united battalion to honor and pay tribute to 10 great men,” said Lt. Col. John C. Valledor, the battalion commander of 2-14 infantry regiment. “This was the first opportunity the battalion, complete, has had to honor our fallen.”
   The names of the 10 fallen comrades were put on a memorial that was created after Operation Iraqi Freedom 2.5. There are names already existing on the monument of 2-14 soldiers that were killed in action from OIF 2.5, and Mogadishu.
   The monument consists of a bronze “battle cross” - an upright M-16 rifle, bayonet down, with a pair of boots at its base and topped with a Kevlar helmet. The base displays plaques containing names of the fallen.
   Surrounding the memorial are semicircular benches containing names of sponsors, and colorful shrubs, designed to honor the men and keep their memories alive.
   Sgt. Jason C. Denfrund, 24, from Springville, N.Y., is survived by his wife Melissa, daughter Chloe, and son Jayden.
   On Christmas Day of 2006, Denfrund spent most of the morning discovering and clearing improvised explosive devices along Route Pinto. He was unaware of the hidden device that mortally wounded him. As team leader he was credited for saving the life of fellow Soldier he told to move away prior to the detonation of the IED.
   “He saved my life,” said Spc. Brandon M. Deaton, the Soldier who was directed to move away by Denfrund.
   Spc. Raymond N. Mitchell, 21, was from West Memphis, Ark. On Jan. 6, 2007, Mitchell safeguarding Route Earnheardt, when he suffered wounds that caused the loss of his life. He is survived by his parents, Carolyn and Raymond.
   Capt. Kevin Landeck, 26, was from Wheaton, Ill. He is survived by his wife, 1st Lt. Bethany Landeck.
   “On Feb. 2, 2007, Landeck paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Valledor. “He was the only officer that we lost this year”
   Landeck was killed when an IED detonated near his vehicle. Known as a prankster, he would take name tapes off body-armor vests to poke fun at fellow Soldiers in Iraq.
   Sgt. Thomas L. Latham, 23, from Delmar, Md., is survived by his wife, Rachel, daughter Ariel, and stepson Caleb. Latham suffered fatal wounds when an IED when off near his Humvee on March 11, 2007.
   Cpl. Wilfred Flores, Jr., 20, from Lawton, Okla. He was survived by his parents, Wilfred Sr. and Vicky; Staff Sgt. Jason Arnette, 24, from Amelia, Va., is survived by his wife Shenandoah Sky.
  


TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008
Golden Dragons Test Mine-Resistant Vehicles

By Spec. Jennie Burrett
2nd Brigade Combat Team Journalist


   Company C, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team is deployed to Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz., to test types of Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicles.
   The 2-14 battalion commander and sergeant major went to Yuma to observe the company between March 18 and 20. Company C was deployed Feb. 24 and will return March 28; Company A will replace them for the month of April.
   MRAPs are a family of armored fighting vehicles designed to survive improvised explosive devices attacks and ambushes. IEDs cause 63 percent of U.S. military deaths in Iraq; to combat this, MRAP vehicles usually have a V-shaped hull to deflect any explosions from below the vehicle, protecting the vehicle and its passenger compartment. The concept is to augment the fleet of Humvees with a more survivable option.
   “The purpose of the testing process is to get an unbiased picture of the vehicles’ performance given mission scenarios, crew training, and operating conditions,” said Maj. Phil Clark, the Joint Test Team officer in charge of visitors.
   Lt. Col. John Petkosek, the 2-14 commander, is glad that his Soldiers are involved in this important mission.
   “Our troops testing the MRAPs are making a significant contribution to the Army's effort to quickly field a vehicle specifically designed to protect our Soldiers from IEDs,” said Petkosek.
   “The reason we are here is not for training, it is to assist the military in the testing of these vehicles, and we are making the best out of the opportunity,” said Capt. David Ike, commander of Co. C. “Half of the Soldiers in my company are fresh out of basic training, and this is the first time they have had to learn how to fight with a vehicle. The familiarization and the exposure is really good for not only the new Soldiers, but also the Soldiers that just got back from the overseas deployment.”
   The purpose of the MRAP vehicles is to provide improved armor and mobility for personnel operating in a threat environment that includes mines and IED’s. Some types of MRAP vehicles are already being utilized in Iraq.
   “I think it is a positive aspect to be involved in the testing,” said Spec. Dain Neininer, a team leader who deployed with 2nd BCT and returned in November. “They are relying on combat veteran experience to get feedback on the operations of the equipment. I also like seeing what the Army has in store for the Soldiers.”
   Some of the testing missions conducted by Co. C were convoy operations, raids, quick reaction operations, and vehicle recovery. The also compared the operations of the crew-served weapons on the MRAP to those on the Humvee.
   “I am very proud of the way the guys have been handling themselves in this mission,” said Ike.

Iraq Blog:  April 2008
2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Commandos
Page Copyright © 2008 Kirk S. Ramsey
Last modified: September 13, 2008