Issue 65 Aug. 12, 2011
Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
K-9s make Afghanistan a safer place Story and photos by Spc. April York 2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
The enemy rarely attacks face-to-face, but hides behind the innocent faces of children, women and ordinary hard working men. Insurgents strap bombs to their chests and emplace Improvised Explosive Devices along roadways and footpaths. To counteract these tactics, the Army employs assets that have been around since the Vietnam era. Patrol Explosive Detection dogs, which have been trained to detect unexploded ordinance, are being put to use throughout Afghanistan. Military Police officers and their K-9 partners attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, are just one of many units utilizing these combat enablers. In conjunction with the MPs and their K-9s, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. and their Afghan Uniformed Police counterparts patrol the streets of Kandahar City. Sgt. Justin Juracek, a military police dog handler, from the 35th MP Detachment who is attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assists his K-9 partner Max search the corner in a large building during a training exercise July 14. Max is a patrol explosive detection dog .
While on patrol, the K-9s and their handlers push out in front of the other Soldiers. “Our meat and potatoes, our soul mission out here is to find IEDs to increase Soldier survivability,” said Sgt. 1st Class Clarence Franklin, kennel master from the 34th MP Company, attached to 2nd BCT. “We do cordon searches and search vehicles with a dog team out in front of our guys to make sure no one encounters an IED.” “We’d rather have a dog go down than an entire squad of Soldiers,” said Sgt. Robert Citrullo, a dog handler from the 40th MP Detachment, attached to 2nd BCT. “I can push my dog out and she can detect something 50 to 100 meters away.” The K-9s not only detect explosives but they are trained to engage the enemy as well. “Having the dog out there really puts the Soldiers’ minds at ease knowing that they have that asset available,” said Sgt. Justin Juracek, a dog handler with the 35th MP detachment, who is attached to 2nd BCT. Handlers and K-9s attend training courses both with and without each other. The handlers train for 11 weeks to learn how to handle a dog and the K-9s go through their own type of basic training, which teaches them how to clear obstacles, detect explosives, abide gunfire, attack and learn obedience. They train together focusing on building searches, scouting, open area detection, aircraft luggage detection and they go through a
Sgt. Robert Citrullo, a military police dog handler, from the 40th MP Detachment who is attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and his K-9 partner Carla search for unexploded ordinance during a training exercise July 14. Carla with her acute sense of smell is able to detect ordinance up to a 100 meters out, Citrullo said.
certification course to determine if they trust one another. Trust is essential when lives are on the line and with trust comes dependency. “My dog depends on me for everything: food, water and a place to sleep,” Citrullo said. “I depend on her to find bombs so the dynamic is we are pretty much lost without each other.” The K-9s are a combat enabler but they also increase morale. “When we go out and work on combat outposts it’s a huge morale boost,” Citrullo said. “The Soldiers love the dogs and they always want to pet them.” “The best part of being a handler is knowing you have a partner on the road,” Juracek said. “They are not machines, they are not perfect and there is a chance that there could be something missed, but I will follow my dog anywhere.”
Talon improves security with body scanner Story and photos by Sgt. Ruth Pagan 2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, went through a class July 30 for a piece of machinery that will make the Afghan National Civil Order Police Brigade Headquarters safer. “The (SmartCheck Image Module Personnel Scanning System) is like the scanner they have at the airport,” said 1st
First Lt. Eric Adelsberger, the executive officer of HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Div., is being scanned by the SmartCheck Image Module Personnel Scanning System July 31. The system can detect weapons, drugs and bombs as well as things foreign to the body. The body scanner is new to the Afghan National Civil Order Police Brigade Headquarters and will improve security.
Lt. Eric Adelsberger, the executive officer for HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., adding, “only these take three images: front, back and side.” Although the Soldiers have been working with a Vehicle Cargo Scanner, Joshua Brice, a field service engineer with Cargo Security Management Incorporated, was brought in to give them a more in-depth class on the body scanner, said Adelsberger. Continued on page 2
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Warhorse Pride
Issue 65 Aug. 12, 2011
Soccer game brings MPs, Afghans together Story by Capt. Bonnie Hutchinson 2nd Special Troops Battalion
The military police platoon of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, Task Force Lonestar, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, participated in a soccer game with their Afghan Uniformed Police counterparts and residents of Farah City at the Farah Athletic Field July 30. “The intention of the game was to encourage coalition forces, AUP and the local populace to interact freely. However, my number one priority was to ensure the safety for all participants,” said 2nd Lt. Joshua Motes, the platoon leader for HHC’s MP platoon. Motes met with the commander of Police Sub Station 1, 1st Lt. Fazl Ahmad, before the game to finalize details of the event and coordinate the joint security plan. The soccer game gave the Soldiers of Task Force Lonestar and their AUP counterparts an opportunity to build relationships with the local community.
Body scanner Continued from page 2
The class taught Soldiers how to operate the scanner, how to direct personnel within the machine and how to read the results of the scans. “It’s cool because you can see everything a person might try to hide,” said Pfc. Aaron McComas, an Pfc. Gerardo Montemayor, an infantryman with HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., starts up the SmartCheck Image Module Personnel Scanning System July 31. The body scanner is being added to the vehicle cargo scanner that is already being used at ANCOP.
Warhorse Pride Col. John S. Kolasheski...................2nd BCT Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa..............2nd BCT CSM Maj. Kevin Toner................................................2nd BCT PAO Sgt. Seth Barham..................................................PAO NCOIC Sgt. Ruth Pagan......................................Layout and Design Spc. April York.........................................Layout and Design
“This was a great way for the [platoon] and their AUP counterparts to communicate with a younger generation in a nonthreatening manner,” said Capt. Orande Roy Sr., the commander of HHC. “Building a
Photo by Cpl. Joseph Robinson
Sgt. Michael Dade and Spc. Bradley Stewart, both military police officers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, Task Force Lonestar, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, come together for a group photo with Afghan children after a soccer game at Farah Athletic Field July 30. The Soldiers of Task Force Lonestar’s MP platoon organized the event in conjunction with their Afghan Uniformed Police counterparts in order to build relationships with the local community.
infantryman with HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., who attended the class. The machine can detect weapons, drugs and bomb making materials as well as anything not organic to the human body, Brice said. Some objects may be harder to detect and that is why there are three views, said Adelsberger. When in doubt a physical search will be conducted. The Afghan National Civil Order Police Brigade Headquarters is not a big camp but it does receive a fair number of civilians. “The need for this is pretty sizeable,” said Adelsberger, adding, “we get civilians who have never been here before and need to be searched because they could pose a threat.” “I really think the body scanner is going to make the camp a lot more secure,” said Pfc. Gerardo Montemayor, one of the operators with HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg. The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Warhorse Pide is an Army-funded newsletter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. Contents of the Warhorse Pride are not necessarily the view of, nor endorsed by the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public
relationship with the younger population will not only allow them to feel more comfortable approaching coalition forces and AUP, it will make it easier for us to gather information on the ground.” The game had a positive impact on the task force’s mission, but it was also a well-deserved break for the military police platoon, who functions at a fast-paced operational tempo, said Sgt. Elton Lambert, a military police officer with HHC. “It was a chance that we may never have again, a chance to play soccer with Afghan children on their own soccer field,” Lambert said. The game was followed by refreshments and more friendly interaction amongst the participants. “I am very proud of this event because it helps foster the idea that we are here to help,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jon Fox, the medical operations noncommissioned officer in charge for TF Lonestar. “It shows that we are approachable and want to integrate ourselves into their community.”
Improving relations
Photo by Sgt. Seth Barham
Capt. Jeffrey Donahue, commander of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, speaks with residents of Kandahar City’s sub district 9, July 30. Donahue’s troop patrolled the sub district looking to improve relations with the residents.
Affairs Office. The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles, commentary and photos from readers. The Warhorse Pride reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the publication. All issues of The Warhorse Pride can be viewed online from your home computer at www.facebook. com/2bct4id Submissions should be e-mailed to the editor: seth.barham@afghan.swa.army.mil