3-4-1 Mitt

            3^rd Battalion, 4^th Brigade, 1^st Iraqi Army Military Transition Team’s (MiTT) mission is to train, mentor and coach an Iraqi Army Battalion so that it can assume the fight.  The MiTTs are considered the exit strategy for America’s departure from Iraq.  Our Battalion team is constructed around a core of Active and Reserve soldiers.  The team initially formed at Fort McClellan on 26 April 2006.  We conducted our pre-deployment training at Fort Hood, Texas.  We arrived in the theater of operations on 19 June 2006.  After additional training at Camp Buering, Kuwait and Camp Phoenix, Taji, Iraq we moved to Camp India in late July.  Our team is the third to have worked with this Battalion. 

            The “Desert Lion” Battalion was formed and underwent training in Kirkush, northern Iraq.  After three months of training the Battalion moved to Fallujah. They took their first fatal casualty as the Battalion convoyed through Baghdad.  The unit in concert with US Marines participated in the second battle for Fallujah.  The Battalion moved from Fallujah to Camp India on 15 December 2005. 

            Camp India is an Iraqi forward operation base (FOB) located in Al Anbar province about twenty kilometers west of Baghdad. The Battalion operates in and around Nasser Wa Salam a small city of 80,000 inhabitants. Nasser Wa Salam sits astride two key east/west highways Route Michigan and Route Mobile.     

            The 4^th Brigade formally took over independent control of their battlespace in October 2006.  In January 2007 4^th Brigade moved to Baghdad as part of the surge to reduce violence there.  Third Battalion remained at Camp India to maintain the battlespace.  The Battalion continues to conduct the counter insurgency fight (COI N) with determination and resolve.

            Our Team is a Battalion MiTT and works closely with the Iraqi staff.  The team has Marines and a Navy corpsman attached.  They play a key role in our mission as drives and gunners for our vehicles.  They also maintain our communications center.  In addition we have four Iraqi interpreters who are an integral part of the team.

            Running the 5k is a way to help us pass the time and to make us more connected to home.  Some of us will be coming home in June, other in August and a few in 2008.  We all look forward to coming home and appreciate your prayers of support.  Nineteen runners ran at either Camp India or AGIF. 

            Due to an increase in our Operational Tempo we had to push the run back from the original date.  We ran on two separate days May 7^th (Camp India & AGIF) & May 11^th (Camp India).

            First place with a time of 22:35 went to newly promoted LCPL John Chase.  Second place with a time of 23:13 was LCPL Perry Cougill.  CPT Ian Iracheta finished third with a time of 23:37.

Our runners are:

• SFC Randall Barbee, 39, from Lombard, Illinois, he is an Army Reservist from 801^st Combat Support Hospital, he is the team’s Communications Advisor

      Camp India 25:45

• LCPL  Michael Bach, 21, from Redwing, Minnesota , he is a Marine from 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Marines

      AGIF 32:41

• MAJ Chris Brooks, 40, from Mechanicsville, Virginia, he is an Army Reservist from 429^th QM BN, 99^th RRC, he is the Headquarters Advisor and Executive Officer for the team

      AGIF 35:51

• HM3 Darrell Brown, 30, from Oceanside, California, he is a Navy Corpsman with 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Marines

      AGIF 32:28

• LCPL John Chase, 19, from Woodbine, Iowa, he is a Marine from 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Marines

      AGIF 22:35 First Place

• CPL Perry Cougill, 25, from Smithville, Missouri, he is a Marine from 8^th Regiment

      Camp India 23:13 Second Place

• LCPL Kyle Dorthey, 20, from Peoria, Illinois, he is a Marine from 8^th Regiment

      Camp India Scratched

• TSGT Stewart Herringshaw, 29, from Windsor, Missouri, he is active duty Airforce and is a BSU advisor, 28^th LRS

      Camp India 31:39

• SGT Joshua Hishon, 28, from New Baltimore, Michigan, he is a Marine from 8^th Regiment, ESB Support Company

      Camp India 30:39

• CPT Chris Holmes, 35. from Columbia, South Carolina, he is an Army Reservist from 1^st BDE, 108^th DIV (IT), he is the Operations Advisor

      AGIF 28:06

• MAJ Kent Hyde, 39, from Belmont, North Carolina, he is a Reservist from 108^th DIV (IT) and is Team Leader

      Camp India 37:09

• CPT Ian Iracheta, 30, from Fort Polk, Louisiana, he is an active duty soldier from 10^th Mountain Division, he is the team’s Fire Effects officer

      AGIF 23:37 Third Place

• SFC Mark Mackey, 36, from Franklin, Pennsylvania, he is an active duty Soldier from 4^th Brigade, 10^th Mountain Division, he is the Fire Effects NCO

      Camp India 32:20

• CPL Jose Mendez, 27, from Oakland, California, he is a Marine from 6^th Marines

      Camp India 26:00

• CPT Michael Oldham, 38, from Rockford, Illinois, he is active duty Airforce and is a BSU advisor from 28^th LRS

      Camp India 32:20

• LCPL Angel Ortiz, 21, from Freemont, California, he is a Marine from 2^nd Battalion, 7^th  Marines

      AGIF 25:37

• MSG Felipe Rodriguez, 59, from Puerto Rico,  he is a Reservist from 65^th RRC, he is the team’s Intelligence NCO

      AGIF 30:33

• CPT Scott Turner, 32, North East, Maryland, he is a Reservist from ARUCM, 99^th RRC, he is the team’s Intelligence Advisor

      Camp India 32:20

• CPL Matthew Williams, 22, from High Point, North Carolina, he is a Marine from CLB-2

      Camp India 38:40

• CPL Christopher Wright, 23, Yuma, Arizona, he is a Marine from 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Marines

      Camp India 23:56