Redhorse focuses on Bagram Security Zone

Written by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ashlee Lolkus Task Force Red Bulls Public Affairs Sunday, 16 January 2011 22:33

PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Spc. Carlos R. Hansen (front), of Sioux City, Iowa, an infantryman in the personal security detachment for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Redhorse, posts security while U.S. Army Sgt. Tom Peck, of Sioux City, Iowa, and the PSD noncommissioned officer in charge, speaks with locals in the village of Barfikhel Jan. 7. TF Redhorse, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, TF Red Bulls, is in charge of operations in the Bagram Security Zone and is increasing combat patrols to disrupt insurgent activity in the area. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ashlee Lolkus, Task Force Red Bulls Public Affairs)

PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan –In light of recent indirect fire attacks on Bagram Airfield here, Task Force Redhorse is increasing combat patrols in the Bagram Security Zone. The Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, are patrolling the BSZ to disrupt insurgent activities in the area.

One element taking part in the patrols is the personal security detachment of the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Sqdn., 113th Cav. Regt., part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, TF Red Bulls. The cavalry PSD, who also provides quick reaction forces for the Bagram area, took to the streets of the BSZ in the towns of Barfikhel, Saka and Janquadam Jan. 7 and conducted a key leader engagement in Nawdeh.

The mission, similar to their normal day-to-day missions, was the first dismounted patrol conducted by these TF Red Horse Soldiers since arriving in country last fall.

“What we did today was a combat patrol in the Bagram Security Zone to disrupt the (indirect fire) attacks we’ve been having lately,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Tom Peck, of Sioux City, Iowa, and the PSD noncommissioned officer in charge. “We are trying to increase our presence in the area to deter insurgents from firing IDF at Bagram.”

During the patrol, the TF Redhorse Soldiers stopped to talk with locals in the area to gauge how the local Afghan National Security Forces have been operating in their area to ensure security of the area.

“We are increasing our reconnaissance and combat patrols in the Bagram area in order to disrupt the insurgents in the area,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Updegraff, TF Redhorse commander and Wauconda, Ill., resident. “Conducting dismounted patrols enables the task force to directly interact with local villagers who aid coalition forces in the fight against insurgents.”

Peck said that when speaking with the locals, they said the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army would walk through the villages almost daily, but they hadn’t seen U.S. forces very often. TF Redhorse intends to change that by conducting these dismounted patrols to the villages that cannot be reached by road.

“By conducting these patrols, we can interact with the locals, and they can let us know of insurgent activity in the area,” said Peck. “We can use that information to get rid of the insurgents and make the community safer, in turn making BAF safer too.”