User talk:Dthomsen8/Userfied Alpha Company

Inglis Palgrave

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Alpha Co 28th Signal Bn 2003-2005

Section removed and userfied from 28th Infantry Division (United States) --DThomsen8 (talk) 14:40, 4 September 2012 (UTC)

Section created on 22:24, 28 May 2012‎ 72.77.98.98 (talk)‎ . . (86,469 bytes) (+14,857)‎ . . (→‎Company A, 28th Signal Battalion)

The following is a brief account of the history and accomplishments of A Company, 28th Signal Battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom II. A-28 Signal mobilized, trained, and then deployed with America’s “First Team”, the 1st Cavalry Division to Baghdad, Iraq. While in Iraq, the company made major contributions to the fight against the insurgency, and paved the way for a safer, freer, and more stable Iraq.

A Company, 28th Signal Battalion Organization HQ Platoon Supply Motor Maintenance Electronic Maintenance (part of this piece was a slice detached from HHC/28 Signal) 1ST Platoon Node Center 40 (NC40) SEN E01 SEN E02 SEN E03 SEN E04 Remote RAU 40 (later upgraded to a “Super RAU”) 2nd Platoon Node Center 41 (NC41) SEN E05 SEN E06 SEN E07 SEN E08 Remote RAU 41 (later upgraded to a “Super RAU”) SEN = Small Extension Node RAU = Radio Access Unit

Neutrality?

Edit

https://th.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%89:22sep/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lt.Col.Thita_Manitkul

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thita_Manitkul Edit

https://th.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%89:22sep/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lt.Col.Thita_Manitkul

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thita_Manitkul

English? Sry85 deleted her Thai Wikipedia And Using the Wrong English Version intentionally.How can the person who is not neutral in politic be writing Wikipedia.— Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.171.97.171 (talk) 14:45, 6 March 2018 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.171.97.171 (talk)

Pennsylvania deployment preparation

The companies of the 28th Signal Battalion were alerted for deployment to Iraq on 9 October 2003. Soldiers from throughout the Battalion, were brought together to deploy as one company under the flag of A Company, and conducted an annual training period from 29 October 2003 through 13 November 2003. Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) was completed on 1–2 November at Fort Indiantown Gap. The company spent the next two weeks developing a unit manning roster, addressing individual and family readiness issues, and training on as many Theatre Specific Individual Readiness Tasks (TSIRT) as possible. The company also readied 56 HMMWV’s, 36 communications assemblages, 36 tactical generators, and other MTOE equipment. The company learned that they would be training and deploying with the 39th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the Arkansas Army National Guard. The 39th BCT was slated to become part of the 1st Cavalry Division and Task Force Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom II. A Company, 28th Signal Battalion was federalized on 14 November 2003, and conducted a deployment ceremony at the 911th Airlift Wing on 15 November 2003, with the then Deputy Adjutant General, BG Jessica Wright, in attendance. On 17 November 2003, A Company mustered at the West View Armory and departed on busses for the Pittsburgh International Airport.

Texas deployment preparation

Upon arrival at Fort Hood, Texas, the company moved into empty 4th Infantry Division Barracks, and set to work. Soldier Readiness Processing was again completed. By 21 November 2003, the company was already “in the field”, qualifying on all weapons, and conducting the first of four five-day lane training events. A Company would keep up an aggressive training schedule, only having off Thanksgiving Day and 10 days of Christmas block leave before arriving in theatre on 1 March 2004. Over 50 TSIRT tasks would be completed by every soldier. The collective lanes training events that were completed were; Force Protection, Motorized Security, Route Clearance, and Convoy Operations. The company also conducted a 100% validation of all Mobile Subscriber Equipment (MSE), working for the first time with the 13th Signal Battalion. This process would take over a week as the company worked on the intricacies of meshing the 13th Signal Battalion’s newer ATM MSE with A-28 Signal’s THSDN MSE. Additionally, the company would learn how to clear buildings, culminating with a live fire exercise. The company also prepared the 136 pieces of rolling stock and all MTOE equipment for deployment to Kuwait. ==Louisiana deployment preparation In February of 2004, A Company supported the 39th BCT at Fort Polk, LA during a full Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRX). This proved to be a huge challenge as all of the company’s organic equipment was already on a ship bound for the ports in Kuwait. The equipment used at Fort Polk would come from the Alabama Army National Guard. Another 100% validation exercise was again required, which was conducted simultaneously with the company completing more convoy training events that were operated by the Joint Readiness Training Center. The beginning of the MRX was delayed by one day when President George W. Bush visited the 39th BCT, and even ate lunch with some of the troops at a simulated Forward Operating Base in the training areas of Fort Polk. The support provided to the 39th BCT was superb, and allowed the BCT to culminate the previous three months of training with a collective Brigade sized event. This proved critical to the success of the BCT in Baghdad.

Deployment to Kuwait

On 29 February 2004, the first elements of the 39th BCT and A Company, 28th Signal Battalion would depart Fort Polk for Kuwait to begin the Reception, Staging, and Onward Integration (RSOI) process. Due to constraints within TRANSCOM, A Company, 28th Signal would be split up for movement into theatre. The company would trickle in on different flights between 29 February and 20 March 2004. As the company arrived, troops were consolidated at Camp New York, a deployment camp in the desert of northwest Kuwait. The first half of March was spent convoying equipment from the ports to Camp New York, conducting more convoy training, verifying the “zero” of weapons, and “hardening” vehicles with steel and sand bags. A few HMMWV’s were fitted with Add-On-Armor and ballistic windshields.

Deployment to Iraq

On 19 March 2004, 2nd Platoon (-) and a slice of HQ Platoon departed Camp New York to stage at the Iraqi border. On 20–21 March, this element convoyed with 13th Signal Battalion and the 4th BCT (Aviation) over 350 miles to Camp Victory North in Baghdad. One Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was encountered on MSR Tampa, just 30 minutes shy of the destination. The IED was detonated by an EOD team, and the element arrived safely. 2nd Platoon immediately set to work providing MSE communications to their supported units at Camp Victory North. Two Small Extension Node (SEN) teams from 2nd Platoon would complete the same route on 28–30 March and arrive at the Greenzone. SEN E05 would support 1-153 Infantry and SEN E07 would support 1-161 Infantry throughout the entire year in Iraq. 1st Platoon and HQ Platoon completed their convoy training in Kuwait between 22 March and 6 April On 7 April they would stage at the border and complete their journey to Camp Taji on 8–9 April, during one of the most deadly weeks in Iraq. A Company (-) convoyed with 3-153 Infantry, mostly in the eighth of a ten-serial convoy. This convoy would come under fire more than once, even taking direct hits from RPG’s. A-28 Signal encountered numerous IED’s, a near miss by an RPG, and a grenade dropped from an overpass. The last leg of the route, from Convoy Support Center Scania to Camp Taji, would take over nine hours, despite being less than 100 miles in length. Upon arrival at Camp Taji, A Company (-) set to work, providing the 39th BCT and subordinate battalions with MSE communications. Within one week two SEN teams would deploy to patrol bases (PB) with their supported units. E02 deployed with 2-162 Infantry to PB Volunteer in east-central Baghdad. E04 deployed with 3-153 Infantry to a Patrol Base on an island on the eastern shore of the Tigris River, then less than a week later deploy to their permanent home at PB Gunslinger in the Adamiyah District (northeast Baghdad). From April through July 2004, A Company, 28th Signal would proudly take on the name “Task Force Keystone” within the 13th Signal Battalion and support the 1st Cavalry Division. The company endured several hundred mortar and rocket impacts, thankfully resulting only in equipment damage. The company learned how to convoy in a hostile environment, and how to keep MSE operational in 130 degree plus heat. The company learned how to support new technologies such as the Command Post of the Future (CPOF), a system that had never been used in combat, and that replaced the FM radio based Division Command Net. The maintainers in the company took the initiative to identify scrapped power generation equipment, and make it run again to provide needed power to the MSE. The company also worked with General Dynamics to upgrade the two Remote Radio Access Units (RAU’s) to provide telephone and Secret Internet (SIPR) service. The upgraded RAU’s were referred to as “Super RAU’s”. When the upgrade was completed, Super RAU 40 deployed to East Taji to support the Civil Military Assistance and Training Team (CMATT) as they trained the new Iraqi Army. Super RAU 41 deployed on 28 June to support C/3-153 Infantry at PB Apache, a remote patrol base in Baghdad. This kind of non-doctrinal support kept many soldiers off the roads, and hastened the flow of information within the 1st Cavalry Division. The company would also see comrades in the 39th BCT and 1st Cavalry Division die in rocket and IED attacks, even as our own Combat Lifesavers did their best to provide aid to the wounded. On 24 April 2004, Camp Taji would come under a severe rocket attack, and the 39th BCT lost four soldiers less than 150 meters from the A-28 Signal living quarters. On 24 May the A-28 Signal command post experienced rocket impacts in every direction, but fortunately was not hit. These are just a couple of examples of the many indirect fire impacts the company would experience at all locations where the company had a presence. In August, 2-7 Cavalry, a 1st Cavalry mechanized infantry battalion that was under the operational control of the 39th BCT, was called upon to deploy to An Najaf. E01 had been supporting them since April and deployed with them. The SEN would provide MSE support at an unprecedented proximity to the fight. The SEN team deployed with the Battalion TOC to within 2 kilometers of the fight. Though not doctrinal, the need for SIPR and voice communications was vital, and the team performed phenomenally while under continuous sniper fire and intermittent indirect fire. By September, A-28 Signal was busy installing fiber optic cable with the 13th Signal Battalion at Taji and Camp Liberty, in addition to performing its tactical mission. The fiber network would be connected to the MSE network and a Deployable KE Band Earth Terminal (DKET), providing more reliable and redundant service to the subscribers at these camps. This would also provide the means to install Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony for units in a combat zone, another Army first. This network would free up MSE assets for future operational missions. This would become key in November. On 1 November, Node Center 41, as well as E06, E08, and E01 SEN teams would deploy west of Baghdad to support Operation Al Fajr (New Dawn), also known by III Corps as Operation Phantom Fury. The operation was required to destroy the insurgent stronghold in Fallujah. Node Center 41 deployed to the Abu Ghraib prison complex to provide connectivity between the SEN’s supporting the maneuver units and the rest of the Task Force Baghdad network. E06 supported A Battery, 3-82 Field Artillery at Camp Fallujah, just west of the Fallujah city limits. This Battery made history by firing over 1,700 155MM rounds in support of the battle for Fallujah. E08 supported 15th Forward Support Battalion as they provided the bulk of the logistical support to the very edge of the battlefield. E01 again supported 2-7 Cavalry, and again provided MSE support within 2 kilometers of the actual fight. After the battle was decided, E01 redeployed to Camp Fallujah and supported 2-12 Cavalry during clean-up operations. These teams then redeployed to Camp Liberty just prior to Christmas. E01 would again deploy on an operational mission on Christmas Day. This time it was in support of 2-5 Cavalry to the Salman Pac region, southeast of Baghdad. The intent of the operation was to root out insurgent cells that were planning to negatively influence the first national elections on 30 January 2005. The team again provided outstanding MSE support where the maneuver commanders needed it. The team redeployed to Camp Liberty on 3 January 2005. The next big effort was the support of the first free national elections in Iraq’s history. 1st Cavalry Division decided to place coalition forces liaisons at Iraqi Police stations to provide assistance with command and control during this critical time. The liaisons required voice and SIPR service, making SEN teams at Iraqi Police stations a necessity. E01 was again chosen by the 13th Signal Battalion to deploy. They moved to the Saba Al Boor Police Station in northwestern Baghdad on 27 January. They provided direct MSE support and redeployed to Camp Taji on 31 January 2005. The elections had been a grand success, and the 1st Cavalry Division’s ability to communicate efficiently contributed in no small way. The company continued to provide reliable communications support through February, and began to focus on relief in place and redeployment operations late in the month.

Demobilization

The entire company was out of Iraq on 10 March 2005, 10 days short of one year from crossing the border heading north. The entire company redeployed to Camp Doha, Kuwait, and worked hard on wash rack operations and to load sea containers with MTOE equipment. On 12 March an awards ceremony was conducted with the 13th Signal Battalion commander, LTC John B. Morrison. 15 Bronze Star Medals and 128 Army Commendation Medals were awarded. All unit members were also awarded the Global War on Terror Service and Expeditionary Medals, and the Mercury Order of the Combat Spur, with gold combat spurs. A Company, 28th Signal Battalion departed Kuwait at 0005 hours on 21 March 2005, flew back through Iraqi airspace one more time, and on to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for demobilization. On 28 March 2005, the company met families and friends at the very same 911th Airlift Wing hangar where the deployment ceremony was held 499 days before. A Company, 28th Signal Battalion also contributed to building positive relationships with the Iraqi people through a program that became known as “Keystone Cares”. Through this program, tons of children’s clothing and other goods were delivered on civil affairs missions to the children in Baghdad that needed them the most (newspaper article attached). The company continued to exceed retention goals while deployed. 24 of the 45 eligible soldiers reenlisted, for a retention rate of 53%. This will help ensure the future viability of the signal community within the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. A Company, 28th Signal Battalion proved to be a critical member of the 39th Brigade Combat Team, the 13th Signal Battalion, and the 1st Cavalry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom II. The Company worked with its active duty counterparts to provide a seamless and reliable communications architecture that supported base camps as well as operational missions while the insurgency was fought. These reliable communications ensured a successful transfer of sovereignty to the new Iraqi Government, victorious battles in Baghdad, An Najaf, and Fallujah, and an enormously successful free election for the first time in Iraq’s history.