Picture Story: Charlie Company, BLT 1/6 in Afghanistan

[thedrifter]

Picture Story: Charlie Company, BLT 1/6 in Afghanistan
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 200452463045
Story by Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (May 24, 2004) -- With the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) firmly entrenched in operations in Afghanistan, Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines has been at the forefront of these operations.

Serving as the MEU's designated helicopter company, Charlie Company has kept active conducting cordon and knock searches in villages across the Oruzgan province of Afghanistan. These searches have uncovered several weapons caches and denied sanctuary for Taliban and anti-coalition militia.

In addition to BLT 1/6, the MEU consists of its Command Element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced), and MEU Service Support Group 22. During operations in Afghanistan, the MEU is designated Task Force Linebacker.

For more information on the 22d MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045246347/$file/C_Weaps_Nielson_Low.jpg

Cpl. Joshua Nielson, of Payson, Utah, an anti-tank assaultman with Weapons Plt., Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, provides security as his fellow Marines conduct a cordon and knock operation in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452463526/$file/C_Misc_Resupply_Low.jpg

A CH-53E Super Stallion lands amid billowing clouds of dust during a resupply mission for Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines in the Oruzgan province of Afghanistan. HMM-266 (Rein) and BLT 1/6 are attached to the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045246372/$file/C_Misc_Hump_Low.jpg

Marines from Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, march toward an obejective during Operation RIO BRAVO. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


continued.......

[thedrifter]

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452464224/$file/C_Misc_Prayer_Low.jpg

Marines from Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, huddle in prayer before a mission during Operation EL DORADO. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452464617/$file/C_HQ_Cozad_LOW.jpg

1st Lt. Kris Cozad, executive officer for Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, coordinates the helicopter extraction of his Marines in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045246480/$file/C_1st_Branscum_LOW.jpg


Cpl. James Branscum, of Stearns, Kentucky, a rifleman with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, scans a ridgeline during a patrol in the Oruzgan province of Afghanistan. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


continued...

[thedrifter]

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465030/$file/C_1st_Hellwig_LOW.jpg

2d Lt. Joshua Hellwig, of Brooklyn, Wisconsin, a platoon commander with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, watches the surrounding terrain as his Marines conduct a security patrol. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465224/$file/C_1st_Field_LOW.jpg

Cpl. Sean Field, of Westminster, Colorado, a rifleman with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, steps away from a house in the Oruzgan province during a cordon and knock operation. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465421/$file/C_2d_Search_LOW.jpg

Marines from Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, search a compound in the Oruzgan province during Operation EL DORADO. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

[thedrifter]

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465652/$file/C_2d_Crossen_LOW.jpg

2d Lt. Thomas Crossen, of Coldwater, Michigan, a platoon commander with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, passes out candy to Afghan children during Operation EL DORADO. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465817/$file/C_2d_Viggiani_LOW.jpg

Sgt. Anthony Viggiani, of Strongsville, Ohio, a squad leader with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, passes order to his Marines during a village assessment in the Oruzgan province. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465939/$file/C_3d_MovingOut_LOW.jpg

Marines from Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, move out on a security patrol in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045247143/$file/C_3d_Dohrmann_LOW.jpg

Cpl. Steven Dohrmann, of Davenport, Iowa, a rifleman with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, emerges from an Afghan house during a recent cordon and search operation. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

[thedrifter]

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045247332/$file/C_4th_Beaulieu_LOW.jpg

Cpl. Joseph Beaulieu, rifleman with Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, hands out a RPG from a cache found in a small cave in the Oruzgan province of Afghanistan. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations. Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045247617/$file/C_Weaps_Metcalf-Lara_LOW.jpg

Cpl. Dale Metcalf, Portland, Maine, left, and Cpl. Matthew Lara, of Kissimme, Florida, rest during a slight pause in a security patrol in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province. The two anti-tank assaultmen are assigned to Weapons Plt., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Cpl. Robert A. Sturkie

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/0D6D2217205DD09885256E9E0039BF62?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

DASC keeps MEU ready to strike <br />
Submitted by: 22nd MEU <br />
Story Identification #: 200452634836 <br />
Story by Capt. Eric Dent <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (May 26, 2004 ) -- When...

[thedrifter]

BTL 1/6's Raider 3 finally gets into the fight in Afghanistan
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 2004531123143
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



CENTRAL ORUZGAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (June 1, 2004) -- For nearly a month, the Marines of 3d Platoon (call sign - Raider 3), Bravo Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines watched in frustration as their comrades-in-arms scoured the hills of south-central Afghanistan hunting for Taliban insurgents and anti-coalition militia.

As the standing tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) force for the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), the platoon was ordered to remain at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) while the majority of the MEU pushed forward into Afghanistan's Oruzgan province.

Finally, with the commencement of Operation BLADE RUNNER, a multi-company sweep of a series of villages for hidden arms caches and enemy troops, the platoon finally got its chance to get into the fray.

"We spent the whole month anxious to join the rest of the company," said Lance Cpl. James Jeffery, a 3d Platoon rifleman from St. Louis, Missouri. "We were all ready to go, and motivated to get our chance to do our small role in the big picture [war in Afghanistan]."

During their time at Kandahar, the platoon stood ready to launch at a moment's notice should an aircraft from the MEU's aviation combat element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced), go down in the unforgiving Afghan terrain. To that end, the platoon conducting numerous TRAP rehearsals, but the mission further north was always in their mind.

"A lot of our time was spent doing MOUT [Military Operations in Urban Terrain] training," said Lance Cpl. Jared Briggs, of Newport, Pennsylvania, another 3d Platoon rifleman. "We even had a small room built like the Afghans use to practice clearing and searching."

Both Briggs and Jeffery agreed the most maddening aspect of their time at Kandahar was the waiting and uncertainty.

"We always heard rumors of when we were going to pull out and after a while became real skeptical," said Briggs, commenting on the fact that the platoon was ordered to stood by to leave every four days only to be told to stand down. "It was real frustrating."

Other than the training and waiting, Briggs remembers a single event as the most memorable of his time at Kandahar.

"We did the ramp ceremony for when Cpl. Payne was brought back to KAF," Briggs said, talking about Cpl. Ronald R. Payne, who was killed in a firefight with Taliban forces near the village of Sahmardun Ghar. Briggs' platoon rendered honors to their fallen comrade as his body was airlifted back to the United States.

"That was real rough, and made us want to go out there more than ever. After that, we really wanted to have a part in what was going on."

During BLADE RUNNER, the platoon inserted by seven-ton trucks into an area suspected of supporting Taliban insurgents and quickly fanned out through a series of sun-baked mud compounds searching for the enemy or hidden caches of arms and ammunition.

The platoon's first foray into enemy territory netted impressive results as they helped uncover more than a dozen rifles, three Italian-made TC-6 anti-tank mines, nearly 20 hand grenades, and a sizable quantity of rifle and machine gun ammunition.

"It's great to finally be out here," said Jeffery after the two-day operation and prior to rolling out on another operation. "It makes all the training and waiting worth it to finally be doing something."

In addition to BLT 1/6 and HMM-266 (Rein), the 22d MEU (SOC) consists of its Command Element and MEU Service Support Group 22. The unit is Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations as Task Force Linebacker.

For more information on the 22d MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004531123437/$file/B_3d_Kicking_Low.jpg

Marines from 3d Plt., Bravo Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines kick in a locked door during their hunt for Taliban insurgents and arms caches in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/3D41EAE84F15967185256EA5005ACB7B?opendocument


Ellie

[HardJedi]

Charlie Co, 1/6

One of my old units!


Hope they are all doing well.

[thedrifter]

BLT 1/6 goes door to door looking for weapons and Afghan insurgents
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 200461241952
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Afghanistan (June 12, 2004) -- Tucked away in the steep valleys, wadis and draws of a mountainous region in the south-central Afghanistan province of Oruzgan lay hundreds of small compounds and buildings.

In each of these is the potential for Taliban and anti-coalition militia to stash weapons and ammunition to carry out attacks against U.S., Afghan National Army, or other coalition forces.

"The Taliban won't necessarily stay in the villages themselves," explained Maj. Brian Christmas, operations officer for Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, ground combat element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). "Instead, what they'll do is hide the weapons and then pick them up before an attack. After the attack, they'll hide them again and blend in with the villagers."

To deny the enemy these hiding places, BLT 1/6, in conjunction with the other elements of the 22d MEU (SOC), recently launched an aggressive 'cordon and knock' operation with the sole purpose of digging out these caches. The battalion's Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Weapons Companies spread out through the region and descended upon these potential hiding places.

"In a cordon and search we employ the whole company and attachments," said Capt. Ronald Gouker, of Elkart, Indiana, Alpha Co. commander. "We move in and basically surround the village or area with our rifle platoons. Once the perimeter is established we move in with our searchers from one side of the cordon area to the other, searching everything we come across."

These outlaying, or 'cordon,' forces are primarily looking to nab anyone who flees a village upon seeing the search teams approach. They are also provide security over watch and stand ready enter a village should additional search personnel or combat forces are needed.

In order to ease the inconvenience to the villagers, many of whom are simple farmers who are guilty only of trying to survive, Gouker and other Marines will meet first with a village elder or leader and explain what is going on. Usually with this individual in the lead, the Marine search teams will go to work.

Consisting usually of a search team leader, engineer team, corpsman, and security detail, the search team will methodically check the village from top to bottom and left to right.

"We're mainly searching for weapons and ammo," said Sgt. Julio Meza-Marquez, a rifleman serving with Alpha Company headquarters element and who provided security for a search team during the operation. "They can usually have one rifle for hunting or self-defense, but anything else they to have permits for."

While the searchers usually leave the compounds empty-handed, the end results are worth the effort. In recent weeks, Marines from throughout BLT 1/6 have uncovered 10 machineguns, 85 rifles, several pistols, tens of thousands of rounds of small arms and large-caliber munitions, rockets and mortar rounds of various sizes, nearly 200 explosive devices, and at least 32 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers and 250 RPG rounds.

Despite the methodical searching, sometimes blind luck can play a big part. First Sergeant Ernest K. Hoopii, company first sergeant for Charlie Company, related how one of his company's biggest finds came about after a search and when a Marine stepped aside to relieve himself.

"He just happened to look down, looked near a rock, and started yelling 'there's RPGs here!'." The subsequent dig uncovered more than 75 rocket-propelled grenades.

These 'cordon and knock' search operations are an important part of the coalition's effort in Afghanistan to disrupt and deter Taliban and ACM activity threatening the future stability of Afghanistan.

"Everyone's looking for the huge caches of hundreds of rockets and rifles," said Christmas, emphasizing the importance of the BLT's ongoing operations, "but it's these smaller caches that are the real threat because these are the weapons actively being used against us."

In addition to BLT 1/6, the 22nd MEU (SOC) consists of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced) and MEU Service Support Group 22. The unit is Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations as Task Force Linebacker with Combined Joint Task Force 76.

For more information on the 22nd MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200461242341/$file/C&K_Entry_Low.jpg

Marines from Bravo Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn. 6th Marines, sweep into a compound in a village in south-central Afghanistan during a recent 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) cordon and knock operation searching for weapons and anti-coalition militia. Photo by: Cpl. Jemssy Alvarez Jr.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/DB93F0A7762EFC2D85256EB1002DC3CD?opendocument


Ellie