The 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division "Raiders" activated at Fort Lewis, Washington on 1 June 2006 after forming as the Army’s Fourth Stryker Brigade sixteen months earlier. It is the fourth of the Army's six planned Active Component[1] Stryker brigade combat teams (brigades built around eight-wheeled Stryker combat vehicles). The unit was originally formed at Fort Lewis in 2005 as the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker), when the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light) shifted to that post from Fort Polk, Louisiana, after a 15 month deployment in Iraq. When, in June 2006, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker)'s colors were cased (to be uncased in Vilseck, Germany, along with a new batch of personnel from Fort Lewis's former 1st SBCT, 25th ID), its personnel became the 4th SBCT, 2nd ID.
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Stryker BCT elements
The 4th SBCT, 2nd ID, comprises the following elements: headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), an engineer company, an anti-tank company, a military intelligence company, a signal company, a logistics and support battalion, a field artillery battalion, three infantry battalions, and a cavalry or RSTA (reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition) squadron.
Units Assigned
Battalion-sized units:
- 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment
- 702nd Support Battalion
Company-sized units:
- HHC, 4th SBCT
- 38th Engineer Company
- F Company, 52nd Infantry Regiment (Anti-tank)
- 45th Military Intelligence Company
- 472nd Signal Company
- 732nd ESFS, Detachment 2 (Air Force)
Unit History
While the Brigade is one of the Army’s newest, its subordinate battalions have long records of service. The Brigade’s six battalions and four separate companies have received honors from the Civil War through the First Gulf War that include some twenty Presidential Unit Citations, eight French Croix de Guerre, and nine Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations. Upon activation, the Brigade assumed the nickname of Dragoon Raiders as a way to highlight the unique capabilities that the Stryker Brigade brings to the battlefield. Like the dragoons of our Army’s past, the Soldiers of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team are mounted infantrymen possessing superior mobility and the versatility to successfully accomplish a wide range of divergent missions. The unit further adopted the moniker of raiders because of the Stryker Brigade’s self sufficiency and ability to strike the enemy quickly and where least expected.
Garrison Operations
While preparing for its first deployment, the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team made significant contributions to the Army. In addition to supporting the Reserve Officer Training Corps Warrior Forge Program and deploying elements of the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry in support of Wildland Fire Fighting, the Brigade was at the forefront of fielding new systems to enhance Army capabilities. The Brigade was the first unit to field the Land Warrior – a digital, man portable system that enhances Soldier communications, tracking of friendly forces, and overall situational awareness.
Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09
In April 2007, the Brigade deployed to Iraq as part of President Bush’s “surge” strategy and became the first Stryker Brigade to deploy with all ten variants of the Stryker combat vehicle. During more than thirteen months of continuous, full-spectrum operations, the Raider Brigade successfully conducted nine Brigade-level operations and more than 550 battalion- and company-sized operations throughout the Baghdad Northern Belt and in Diyala Province. The Brigade’s actions, in conjunction with Iraqi Security Forces, defeated Al Qaeda-affiliated insurgents in the Brigade’s battle space, suppressed Shia extremist militias, bolstered Iraqi civil government and security force capabilities, and protected critical infrastructure. These efforts provided space and time for the Iraqi people to take control of their own destiny and begin the process of reconciliation, rebuilding, and self- government.
Initially, the Brigade Headquarters, as well as 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 202nd Brigade Support Battalion, and Brigade Troops Battalion operated out of Camp TAJI, north of Baghdad. The 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment remained under Brigade control but operated out of Forward Operating Base WARHORSE. The 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment were detached conducting operations in Baghdad and later in Baqubah. The Brigade area of responsibility included the city of Tarmiyah and the critical Main Supply Route TAMPA, the densely populated Sadr City suburb of Husayniyah, and the Khan Bani Sa’ad and canal regions of Diyala Province. Upon the Raider Brigade’s assumption of this battle space, Al Qaeda in Iraq basically controlled both Tarmiyah and Khan Bani Sa’ad. In Tarmiyah, insurgents had driven out the local police and destroyed the police station. Militant elements affiliated with Jaysh Al Mahdi strongly influenced Husayniyah to include the Iraqi Police. Safe travel on even major routes required deliberate route clearance because of the scope of the improvised explosive device threat.
From mid-May 2007 through January 2008, the Brigade destroyed Al Qaeda affiliated insurgent cells in Baghdad’s Northern Belt while keeping Shia extremists under control. Fully utilizing the robust intelligence collection and analysis capabilities organic to the Stryker Brigade, Raider Brigade Soldiers targeted and dismantled terrorist cells throughout the battle space. Simultaneously, the Brigade used sensor-to-shooter operations to conduct surveillance on known IED hotspots and kill the IED emplacement teams.
Operation Raider Isolation
The Brigade also conducted major operations to take control of key terrain across the Northern Belt. During OPERATION RAIDER ISOLATION in June 2007, the Brigade, spearheaded by 2-1 Cavalry, prevented the exfiltration of Al Qaeda fighters from the critical city of Baqubah. These efforts contributed to the success of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division’s clearance of Baqubah in OPRERATION ARROWHEAD RIPPER. In July 2007, 2-12 Field Artillery put down a Shia extremist uprising in Husayniyah, effectively quarantining the city and ending the uprising with minimal bloodshed.
Operation Raider Riviera
Finally, in September 2007, 4-9 Infantry spearheaded OPERATION RAIDER RIVIERA, the deliberate clearing of Tarmiyah, which eliminated Al Qaeda’s stranglehold on this city and allowed the establishment of long-term security.
By the time the Raider Brigade transferred control of Tarmiyah and Husayniyah in December 2007, IED activity on Route TAMPA had decreased from eight incidents per day to less than three incidents per week. The city of Tarmiyah was clear of terrorists and Al Qaeda’s influence on Khan Bani Sa’ad was significantly reduced. The Brigade had detained more than five hundred persons, removing insurgents from the region and giving Iraqis a chance to solidify civilian government and security infrastructure. With this mission accomplished, the Brigade shifted its focus to Diyala Province.
As the Brigade assumed responsibility for all of Diyala Province, it regained control of 1-38 Infantry and 2-23 Infantry and had attached the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and eventually the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. In assuming a province, the Brigade had to take a much greater role in transitioning Iraqi Security Forces and partnering with the Government of Iraq. Despite these added responsibilities, the Brigade continued to keep the pressure on the enemy, replicating the same intelligence- driven targeting methodology that had proven so successful previously.
Operation Raider Reaper and Harvest
Additionally, the Brigade followed up on previous clearing operations in the Baqubah region by seizing additional areas from Al Qaeda’s control. In December 2007, elements of 2-1 Cavalry, 1-38 Infantry and the 5th Iraqi Army Division executed OPERATION RAIDER REAPER in the “Iron Triangle” region northwest of Baqubah. This operation freed several villages from Al Qaeda control and allowed for the standup of Sons of Iraq groups. The Brigade then shifted focus to the “Bread Basket” area of the Diyala River Valley between the major cities of Dali Abbas and Muqdadiyah. The deliberate clearing of the “Bread Basket” – OPERATION RAIDER HARVEST – saw 2-23 Infantry and 2/3 Armored Cavalry conducting shaping operations while 3/2 Stryker Cavalry and 5th Iraqi Army Division assets conducted clearing. This operation drove Al Qaeda from the area and freed dozens of villages from terrorist control. The Brigade followed up the success of OPERATION RAIDER HARVEST with additional operations to clear the regions south of Buhriz and in the Turki region south of the city of Balad Ruz. The Brigade further supported Iraqi Army operations to open Route VANESSA in between Baqubah and Khan Bani Sa’ad, a route that had been utterly impassable to security forces.
Back to Fort Lewis, Wa.
On 1 June 2008, the Raider Brigade completed its mission in Iraq and transferred authority of Diyala Province. During more than thirteen months of continuous combat operations in Baghdad’s Northern Belt and then in Diyala Province, the Brigade defeated Al Qaeda and kept extremists militias in check. Brigade operations resulted in 1,700 personnel detained and more than 600 insurgents killed or wounded. The Brigade’s intelligence-driven raids devastated insurgent networks by removing more than 200 high- value individuals from the battlefield. Brigade route clearance operations resulted in more than 11,250 kilometers of routes being cleared and the discovery and reduction of 1,295 IEDs. Brigade Soldiers found and reduced more than 550 enemy weapons caches to include the largest explosively formed projectile cache discovered to date in Iraq. The Brigade removed terrorists and their weaponry from the battlefield and gave the Iraqi people and local governments the breathing room required to establish permanent security and governance. Both Baghdad’s Northern Belt and the Diyala Province are better governed and more secure regions due to the accomplishments and sacrifices of the Soldiers of the Raider Brigade.
Upon return from Iraq in June 2008, the Raider Brigade began an intense RESET period that lasted six months. The Brigade began repairing, replacing and fielding new equipment in preparation for their next deployment.
Accelerated
On March 1, 2009 Col. John Norris announced that 4/2 SBCT, now named the Raiders, would be accelerated and deployed to Iraq in the Fall of 2009.[2] This acceleration was in response to President Obama’s new Afghanistan policy which diverted 5/2 SBCT from Iraq to Afghanistan. The Raider brigade is no stranger to accelerations, having gone through one for its last deployment.[3]
Once notified that it was selected to deploy nine months earlier than expected, the Raiders started an intensified training program starting at the individual Soldier level and culminating with a highly successful company-focused JRTC rotation in June 2009. The Soldiers of the Raider Brigade have exceeded all expectations. They are fully trained and capable of exceeding at any mission anywhere in the world.
Operation Iraqi Freedom 09/10
The Raider brigade deployed throughout the first weeks in September 2009. After a ten day training period in Kuwait the subordinate battalions began operating in western Baghdad. The units partnered with the 6th Iraqi Army Division, local Iraqi Police, and the Federal Police Forces. The brigade conducted its assumption of partnership ceremony on 28 September 2009.
The brigade strategy for this deployment is captured on what we call the Rope Strategy.
The Rope Strategy is enduring guidance to all subordinate units that only through a unity of effort will we be successful in creating sustainable security, stability, and improve the Iraqi Security forces capabilities. All operations both lethal and non-lethal take this strategy into account. The brigade works to build partnership with the Iraqi forces and local governance in order to provide security for the people. As we achieve some success and the overall violence drops, together we can improve the daily life of Iraqi citizens providing them with refurbished schools and government buildings, humanitarian assistance, new lighting in the markets and streets, and educational opportunities to improve the productivity in agriculture.
The final piece to our strategy is ensuring that every Soldier knows how to be successful during this deployment. To express this strategy we developed the DEPART card. This card gives Soldiers standing guidance to consider while planning and executing missions, interacting with the Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi people, and conducting key leader engagements with local leaders. Following this guidance will allow for all Soldiers to build a partnership with Iraqi army counterparts, set the example for a professional army, and be respectful of the Iraqi government, Security force, and people’s sovereignty.
Command Teams
- Col John Lehr/CSM John Wayne Troxel from 1 June 2006-8 Aug 2008.
- Col John Norris/CSM Jeffrey Huggins from 8 August 2008-Current
References
- ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/.military/systems/ground/iav.htm
- ^ http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/03/05/17841-4th-brigades-deployment-adjusted-for-early-autumn/
- ^ Department of Defense (March 2, 2009). "DoD Announces Iraq Unit Rotations". Press release. http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=12532. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
- http://www.army.mil
- "Unit designations in the Army modular force," slide presentation, United States Army Center of Military History
- http://www.lewis.army.mil/4sbct2id/