FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 122806-01
Dec. 28, 2006

By Capt. Gregory Stopyra
3-8 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

The weather was cold, the nights were long; yet “Warhorse” Soldiers from Task Force 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, persevered and were successful during their missions in support of the 25th Infantry Division’s latest operation.

The recent division operation was aimed at reducing improvised explosive devices on routes throughout the division’s area of operations. Maj. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, commander of Multinational Division North and the 25th Infantry Division, asked Soldiers to put forth 150 percent effort during this mission; and that they did. Beginning the morning of the Dec. 18, the Soldiers from Warhorse spent the next 72 continuous hours disrupting the anti-Iraqi forces’ IED networks and seizing their weapons caches.

When asked how this mission was different than previous, Sgt. Joshua D. Morrison from Company A, 3-8 CAV, said, “During this operation we were completely embedded and reliant on the Iraqi Army. They were in the lead and we were supporting.”

Warhorse Soldiers endured some harsh weather during the evenings, with temperatures reaching as low as the upper 30s. This, however, did not affect their mission.
“You're not really thinking about the cold while you're conducting the mission, there are too many other things running through your mind. As soon as you're done though you're trying to find a spot to warm up,” Morrison said.

As a result of the tremendous effort put forth by Task Force 3-8 CAV, Soldiers were able to capture numerous AIF linked to illegal activities; seize several weapons caches; destroy hiding positions used to trigger IEDs; and discover numerous IEDs prior to detonation. Most importantly, there were no Coalition Forces injured during the three-day operation.