48 On - 24 Off
Chatted with the Soldier for about five minutes this morning. He didn't get on chat right away this time - was too busy sending and reading email - (plus looking at car ads - wants a new Mustang). He said that they have been doing 48 hours on and 24 hours off. He's not too happy about it. He said staying alert for 48 hours at a crack is hard and then you are completely shot for most of the 24 you're off. He was signing off and going to bed when I talked to him.
They are doing lots of patrols and some guard duty. The bad guys do most of their "work" at night. Setting up roadside bombs and that sort of stuff. So the Strykers go out - quite a distance from where they are based - and search for anything unusual - 48 hours at a crack, constantly on the move. He said that it seems like Stryker Brigade has found and disarmed about 200 roadside bombs since they've been there. That's impressive! But scary too! Some of the guys call these 48 hour patrols "trolling for whoop a$$"
The Strykers are fast and quiet. Iraqi's refer to these soldiers as "ghosts" because they appear from no where. Traveling through the night with no lights, using night vision equipment, patrols have surprised many "insurgents" as they are setting things up. "Insurgents" quickly become "detainees" when the SBCT is on patrol. Modern science helps them out as well - the Brigade is equipped with forensic kits. Suspected "shooters" are given a once over by the equipment which detects gunpowder and rocket propellant residue. Helps distinguish the good from the bad. When there are a lot of civilians in an area it can get pretty confusing.
They are doing lots of patrols and some guard duty. The bad guys do most of their "work" at night. Setting up roadside bombs and that sort of stuff. So the Strykers go out - quite a distance from where they are based - and search for anything unusual - 48 hours at a crack, constantly on the move. He said that it seems like Stryker Brigade has found and disarmed about 200 roadside bombs since they've been there. That's impressive! But scary too! Some of the guys call these 48 hour patrols "trolling for whoop a$$"
The Strykers are fast and quiet. Iraqi's refer to these soldiers as "ghosts" because they appear from no where. Traveling through the night with no lights, using night vision equipment, patrols have surprised many "insurgents" as they are setting things up. "Insurgents" quickly become "detainees" when the SBCT is on patrol. Modern science helps them out as well - the Brigade is equipped with forensic kits. Suspected "shooters" are given a once over by the equipment which detects gunpowder and rocket propellant residue. Helps distinguish the good from the bad. When there are a lot of civilians in an area it can get pretty confusing.
posted by deesci | 7:50 PM
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