Posted on 08/08/2005 5:17:03 PM PDT by SandRat
Units assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division have provided security for elections in Afghanistan and Iraq, so this mission came as no surprise to the paratroopers.
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Aug. 8, 2005 — The first group of paratroopers from a battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division rapidly deployed to Afghanistan to bolster security in advance of the country’s upcoming provincial elections began arriving here July 16.
Approximately 700 paratroopers from the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment were scheduled to arrive in Afghanistan in mid-July to join more than 1,500 paratroopers from the 82nd’s 1st Brigade Combat Team who have already been operating in the country since April.
“This is different than typical combat missions because we’ll get to see the difference we’re making in people’s lives firsthand. I’m hoping the elections go through so that the Afghan people can enjoy the same freedoms that we do.”
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Dan Coulter
“We are here to augment current forces on the ground to provide additional security for the national provincial elections,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dave Anders, the battalion’s commander.
The added troops will allow coalition forces to reinforce engaged areas without reducing offensive capability in other areas, said Combined Joint Task Force-76 officials.
The battalion, known as the Red Falcons, will be operating throughout the coalition sector, Anders said. All the paratroopers are prepared to conduct “full spectrum” operations, he said.
“If we are asked to do offensive operations, we are prepared to do that. If it’s stability operations, we can do that, too,” he said.
This is the third rapid deployment of the 82nd’s forces to provide election security within the last year. The division sent a battalion to Afghanistan last September before the Afghan presidential elections, and two battalions to Iraq in December for its national parliamentary elections. As a result of that history, this mission came as no surprise, Anders said.
“When you put on the maroon beret and the double-A patch of the 82nd Airborne Division, you know deployments go with the job,” he said.
As they settled into their temporary quarters at Bagram Airfield, paratroopers like 1st Lt. Dan Coulter of Bernardsville, N.J., the battalion medical platoon leader, said they were excited about the mission and the chance to help democracy flourish in Afghanistan.
“This is different than typical combat missions because we’ll get to see the difference we’re making in people’s lives firsthand,” Coulter said.
“I’m hoping the elections go through so that the Afghan people can enjoy the same freedoms that we do,” he added.
Although the 82nd has had units deployed to Afghanistan almost constantly since the beginning of the global war on terrorism in 2003, this is the Red Falcons’ first time in the theater. Yet squad leader Sgt. Ernest Marsan of Fairfield, Conn., said he had complete confidence in his fellow paratroopers’ ability to complete the mission successfully.
“We know our job and we’ve got a lot of seasoned veterans. When you know your job, you can go anywhere in the world and perform,” Marsan said.
All American Division PING
Hooo-ah!
I am 3rd/325. Heh.
Class ranking in high school? Impressive! ;-)
LOLOLOL - coop, that was a cheap shot, but darn good. LMAO.
BTTT!!!!!!
My former roommate and one of my best friends is a Platoon Leader with 1/325. He sent pictures of where he and his platoon are--looks like a lovely, magical wonderland.
How are things at Ft. Lewis, L.T.?
Going well, so far. My platoon just got back from a two-week leave, and we're now gearing up for EIB training and testing for the rest of the month. Then we start getting into the fun stuff--shooting and blowing stuff up!
Mail at ya!
82nd Airborne ~ Bump!
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