3-1 Collects Weapons, Detainees

A Soldier from Co. D, 1-15th Inf. Regt., attached to 3-1 Cav., stands guard during a raid in Jisr, Diyala.

SGT. NATALIE ROSTEK
3RD HBCT, 3RD INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS
FOB HAMMER, Iraq — Soldiers of 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment,and Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th InfantryRegiment, detained five suspected insurgents and found four weapons caches Thursday near Jisr, Diyala. The operation resulted in the largest cache seizure for the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team since beginning operations southeast of Baghdad.

Unit leaders said Soldiers conducted the five-phase operation to deny enemy sanctuaries and seize caches. Soldiers from 3-1 Cav. and Co. D, attached to the cavalry regiment, secured and searched four target locations simultaneously
during the operation.

Each cache found and destroyed decreases the munitions and improvised explosive device making materials available for insurgents to use against the populace and Coalition Forces, said Capt. Jimmy Hathaway, from Columbus,Ga., commander of Headquarters Troop, 3-1 Cav. “Ultimately, this mission was a step in the right direction towards making Iraq a more secure and safe region,”Hathaway said.

“The mission established the standard that Coalition Forces are not going to stand for anti-Coalition Force activity,”said 1st Lt. Donovan Duke, from New Cumberland, Pa., a platoon leader with CCo. D, 1-15th Inf. “We are here to establish a safe environment in cooperation with the Iraqi Security Forces for the Iraqi citizens.”