'Fighting Deuce' MPs Patrol Afghan Mountains

Defend America News ^ | May 26, 2006 | Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers

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U.S. Army Spc. Rachel Carey, a military police officer deployed to Towr Kham Fire Base, Afghanistan, prepares her 50-caliber machine gun for a mission near the Pakistan border. Carey, a 21-year-old native of Aurora, Ill., assigned to the 272nd Military Police Company “Fighting Deuce” in Mannheim, Germany, is serving a one-year tour here. Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers
'Fighting Deuce' MPs Patrol Afghan Mountains
U.S. soldiers assigned to the 272nd Military Police Company, based in Mannheim, Germany, go outside the wire daily to interdict, intercept and deter enemies of Afghanistan.
By U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan TOWR KHAM FIRE BASE, Afghanistan, May 26, 2006 — The “Fighting Deuce” rolled into eastern Afghanistan a little more than two months ago to try its hand at intercepting insurgents in some of the most rugged terrain the country offers. "You better know what you’re doing over here. It’s not only your life on the line, but everyone else in your truck." U.S. Army Spc. Rachel Carey More than 30 U.S. soldiers from the 272nd Military Police Company “Fighting Deuce,” based in Mannheim, Germany, are joined by a platoon from the 1st Battalion/188th Air Defense Artillery of the North Dakota National Guard at Towr Kham Fire Base, a remote outpost just minutes from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing at Towr Kham. From this castle-like structure, the soldiers go outside the wire daily to interdict, intercept and deter enemies of Afghanistan, denying them the means to operate or carry out attacks against coalition forces and the local population. The soldiers, operating as part of Task Force Vigilant, conducted several operations in conjunction with members of the 1st Brigade of the Afghan National Border Police to take advantage of police’s familiarity with terrain and enemy methods of operations. “The [Afghan Border Police] know every crook and cranny in this area,” said U.S. Army Spc. Matt Farino, 272nd Military Police Company and native of Long Island, N.Y. “The insurgents might also have an advantage because they know the area, but we balance it out by getting elevated and using technology to see what’s going on.” The challenge is daunting, according to U.S. Army 1st Lt. Renee Ramsey, 272nd Military Police Company platoon commander. The more than 170 miles of border under the Afghan Border Police 1st Brigade’s watch has few vehicle crossing points, yet hundreds of foot and animal trails used for hundreds of years by locals and caravans. Ramsey said the soldiers’ missions often involve grueling mountain ascents to spend several nights at listening and observation posts near the border. “We have a motto in the military police community of ‘death before dismount’,” said Farino. “We really don’t want to leave our vehicles – they are our lifeline, it’s where we have the heavy weapons support – but in this environment we have to. “It’s also extremely demanding physically,” he added. The soldiers put boots on the ground to patrol, gain intelligence and intercept weapons and personnel. Foot and animal trails are used daily by Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan, traders who want to avoid the major crossing at Towr Kham and shepherds who graze their flocks back and forth across the border. Soldiers keep a close watch for insurgents who try to blend in with trade caravans, according to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Chavez, 272nd Military Police Company squad leader. Despite long duty days and the austere environment of the fire base, many soldiers said the deployment is a welcome change from garrison duty and training in Germany. “We do a lot of training back in Germany,” said U.S. Army Private 1st Class Brad Godsey, a 22-year-old from West Terre Haute, Ind., who volunteered for this deployment. “Here we are applying the skills we’ve learned on a daily basis.” The soldiers have also found time to teach basic police skills to members of the Afghan Border Police 1st Brigade. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Chavez, a military police squad leader deployed to Towr Kham Fire Base, Afghanistan, prepares his gear before a mission briefing. Chavez, assigned to the 272nd Military Police Company “Fighting Deuce” in Mannheim, Germany, is serving a one-year tour here. Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William Townsend	U.S. Army 1st Lt. Renee Ramsey (right), a military police platoon commander deployed to Towr Kham Fire Base, Afghanistan, takes a boat ride to a remote village along with her Afghan National Border Police counterpart, to participate in a humanitarian mission. Ramsey, assigned to the 272nd Military Police Company “Fighting Deuce” in Mannheim, Germany, is serving a one-year tour here. Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William Townsend They teach proper techniques for personal and vehicle searches, apprehension and detainment and use of a baton. They also concentrate on individual and squad movements, building entry procedures and reaction to improvised explosive devices. A Chicago native, U.S. Army Pfc. Brian Berkery, whose father was a Vietnam War prisoner of war and grandfather who was a prisoner of war in World War II, said there’s a greater sense of urgency. “Ever time you roll out of the wire there’s a chance something can happen,” said the 28-year-old who joined the Army in 2004. “The skills we’ve trained on have become second nature.” U.S. Army Spc. Rachel Carey, a 21-year-old native of Aurora, Ill., who joined the military to better herself as a person, said this deployment is no 9-to-5 job. “You better know what you’re doing over here,” said the mother who takes pictures of daughter Madison on every mission. “It’s not only your life on the line, but everyone else in your truck.” “We’re teaching them skills so they can do their own job proficiently,” said Godsey, the father of 3-year-old Bradley Jr. “The more we teach them and the better we teach them, the sooner they can stand on their own and we can go home.” Berkery said teaching the border police has also helped him grow as a soldier. “I’m not really good in front of crowds,” he said. “This is a stepping stone for me to improve my speaking skills.” Berkery said border police officials have expressed their appreciation for the training provided, but reminded the soldiers that patience is key, as many of the policemen have been fighting in some form or fashion much of their adult life. Learning to do police work by-the-book doesn’t come naturally. U.S. Army Sgt. Joseph Mustakas, a 272nd Military Police Company team leader from Silver Springs, Md., echoes the sentiment. “These men know how to operate in a time of war – they know how to fight,” said the 22-year-old. “Now we have to teach them how to operate in a time of peace.” Mustakas, who’s also been deployed to Iraq, said the Afghan and Iraqi environments couldn’t be more different for his unit. “Iraq is a much more industrial, urban environment,” said the five-year veteran. “It’s a much more tactical environment here so we have to tailor the training.” The 272nd Military Police Company soldiers, working under leadership of the 10th Mountain Division, support Task Force Vigilant, a combined border operations and police tactical training mission in conjunction with the Afghan Border Patrol. A U.S. Army tradition allows soldiers to wear the “patch” or insignia of a unit they serve with in combat operations, even if they’re not permanently assigned to the unit. “Our soldiers truly embody their platoon motto of ‘Stay Hard,’” said Ramsey, a Buffalo native. “They have definitely earned their ‘Mountain’ patch.”

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