PATROL BASE HAMIYAH, Iraq— The hot Iraqi sun blazed down on the Soldiers of Echo Troop, 5th Cavalry Regiment, Brigade Reconnaissance Troop, as they prepared their vehicles with the necessary equipment for the mission that lay ahead of them.
Grabbing shovels, portable radios and their weapons, the troops jumped into the vehicles and drove to nearby areas. Driving in coordinated formations, they spread out across the vast desert area as the sun slowly disappeared over the horizon.
The Soldiers began their patrol in search of potential weapons caches. Hopes were high in finding dangerous weapons as the troop began exploring the tunnels, mounds of dirt and a giant hole close to the road.
Soldiers of 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Brigade, Iraqi Army greeted BRT platoon leader, 1st Lt. Nicholas A. Dewey, Echo Troop, 5th Cav. Regt., and started out into what was an old Iraqi Army training area to lead the mission. “On missions like these, it is very helpful to have our Iraqi counterparts with us because they know the areas and what looks out of place here,” said Dewey, a native of Oklahoma City.
The IA Soldiers walked around the area searching for anything out of place while Echo Troop dug holes in potential threat areas.
“We did the best that we could and accomplished our mission by searching the area for the caches with the Iraqi Army,” said Sgt. Audi Sumilat, gunner, Echo Troop, 5th Cav.
Although the Soldiers found nothing dangerous in the area, they continue to build bridges of trust with the Iraqi Army.
“Missions like this one are successful because we show the Iraqis that we care enough to help dispose of the caches around our area of operation,” said Sumilat, a native of Edison, N.J.
