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Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2009

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In 2009, the United States and NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition, along with Afghan National Army forces, continued military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. 2009 marks the eighth year of the War in Afghanistan, which began late in 2001.

United States

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A U.S. Army soldier with 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, fires his weapon during a battle with insurgent forces in Barge Matal, during Operation Mountain Fire on July 12, 2009.
  • Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan

This task force rotates between the 3rd and 7th Special Forces Groups. The 7th Group, commanded by Col. Sean Mulholland, replaced the 3rd Group in late July 2009. The task force is partnered with six Afghan commando units.

However, other U.S. special operation forces also have deployed to Afghanistan. Units that have deployed in the past have included elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment, Navy SEALs, units from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, squadrons from the Army's covert 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment—Delta, commonly known as Delta Force, air commandos from the Air Force Special Operations Command and Marines from the Marine Special Operations Command. CIA paramilitary teams also have served in Afghanistan.

Special operations units from coalition countries have also served in Afghanistan, including members of the British Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS), troopers from the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), Germany's KSK (Kommando Spezialkraefte), and soldiers from Canada's Joint Task Force Two (JTF2). In 2005, and again in 2009, elements of the New Zealand Special Air Service was deployed to Afghanistan. Soldiers from Sweden's Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (Special Protection Group) have served in Afghanistan and two SSG troopers were killed by a roadside bomb in late 2005. Norwegian Special Forces units also have deployed to Afghanistan.

The 173rd relieved the 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division in December 2009.[1] It is responsible for Wardak and Logar provinces as part of Regional Command East. The brigade has combat experience in Afghanistan from two previous deployments and includes the following units:

The 4th BCT, known as Task Force Mountain Warrior, is responsible for Nangarhar, Nuristan, Konar and Laghman provinces in eastern Afghanistan. It relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, or Task Force Duke, which had been conducting operations in the area for the past 15 months.[2] The 4th BCT includes the following units:

Based at Fort Lewis, Washington, the 5th SBCT deployed approximately 4,000 soldiers to Afghanistan in mid-summer 2009.[3] Part of the brigade is deployed to Zabul province as part of Task Force Zabul.[4] This is the first rotation to Afghanistan for one of the U.S. Army's new Stryker brigades and includes the following units:

    • 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment
    • 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment—Forward Operating Base Wolverine, Zabul province [5]
    • 3rd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment (3-17th FAR)
    • 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment
    • 402nd Brigade Support Battalion (402nd BSB)
    • 572nd Military Intelligence Company (572nd MIC)
    • 562nd Engineer Company
    • Company A, 52nd Infantry Regiment
    • 21st Signal Company
    • Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 5th SBCT
  • 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division (Colonel Michael L. Howard)

Based at Fort Richardson in Alaska, the 4th BCT relieved the 4th BCT of the 101st Airborne Division in March 2009. The brigade is responsible for Paktya, Paktika and Khost provinces.[6] Known as Task Force Yukon, the 4th BCT includes the following units:

About 3,300 paratroopers from the 4th BCT deployed to western and southern Afghanistan in August 2009.[7] Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 4th BCT includes the following units:

    • 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (1-508th PIR) - (Lieutenant Colonel David Oclander)
    • 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2-508th PIR) - (Lieutenant Colonel Frank Jenio)
    • 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment - (Lieutenant Colonel Michael Wawrzyniak)
    • 2nd Battalion, 321st Airborne Field Artillery Regiment (2-321st AFAR) - (Lieutenant Colonel William Huff)
    • 782nd Brigade Support Battalion (782nd BSB) - (Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Picardo)
    • 508th Special Troops Battalion (508th STB)
  • Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan/'Task Force Leatherneck' (Brigadier General Larry Nicholson)

MEB-Afghanistan absorbed the former Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan in southern Afghanistan on May 29, 2009, reflecting the Marine Corps portion of the increased U.S. troop commitment to Afghanistan. Headquartered by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, MEB-Afghanistan includes the following units:

The headquarters of the 82nd Airborne Division relieved the 101st Airborne Division's headquarters on June 3, 2009.[10] Consisting of roughly 1,000 soldiers the 101st's headquarters officially became Combined Joint Task Force 82 and now commands NATO’s Regional Command East sector in Afghanistan.

The 45th, based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, relieved the 101st Sustainment Brigade on February 9, 2009.[11] The brigade is responsible for the Joint Logistics Command and is augmented by an Army Reserve unit and a unit from the Maine Army National Guard.

    • Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC)
    • 45th Special Troops Battalion (45th STB)
    • 524th Combat Service Support Battalion (524th CSSB)
    • 286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (286th CSSB), Army Reserve
    • 484th Movement Control Battalion (484th MCB), Maine Army National Guard
  • 100th Brigade Support Battalion (100th BSB) - ( Lieutenant Colonel Brent B. Bush)

The Ft. Sill, Oklahoma based unit was the first unit redeployed from Iraq to Afghanistan in March of 2009. The unit was operating in Iraq from November 2008 until receiving redeployment orders to Afghanistan in March of 2009. The 100th BSB was brought in to establish the CSSB Headquarters that would support the Marines throughout Helmand Province and was a subordinate unit to the 45th Sustainment Brigade. The 100th BSB provided logistical oversight to include transportation, contracting, bulk fuel, bottled water and DFAC support to FOB Leatherneck.

The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade (82nd CAB) deployed approximately 2,800 soldiers to Afghanistan in the spring of 2009. The deployment is part of the buildup of combat forces in Afghanistan and the brigade relieved the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Known as Task Force Pegasus, the brigade is based at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan.[12] The 82nd CAB includes the following units:

The 33rd BCT is currently the headquarters of Task Force Phoenix, which is in charge of training the Afghan National Army. The 33rd deployed in the winter of 2008, relieving the 27th BCT of the New York Army National Guard.[13] The brigade includes 1,600 soldiers from Illinois augmented by volunteers from Arkansas, Guam, Georgia and Oregon and soldiers from the Inactive Ready Reserve. The 33rd BCT includes the following units:

    • 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment
    • 33rd Special Troops Battalion (33rd STB)
    • 634th Brigade Support Battalion (634th BSB)
    • 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment (2-122nd FAR)
    • 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armor Regiment, Pennsylvania Army National Guard
  • 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (48th IBCT), Georgia Army National Guard (Colonel Lee Durham)

The 48th Infantry BCT deployed to continue training the Afghan National Security Forces.[14] The 48th IBCT includes the following units:

    • Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC)
    • 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion (48th BSTB)
    • 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment (1-118th FAR)
    • 148th Brigade Support Battalion (148th BSB)

References

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  1. ^ Pfc. Michael Sword, 'Spartans' Transfer Authority to 'Sky Soldiers', Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO, December 20, 2009
  2. ^ American Forces Press Service, On the Ground: U.S. Forces Foster Security, Growth in Afghanistan, July 1, 2009
  3. ^ Drew Brown, Canada hands off part of Kandahar province to U.S., Stars and Stripes, August 17, 2009
  4. ^ Sandra Jontz, Arrival of Stryker unit shifts attention to Zabul province[permanent dead link‍], Stars and Stripes, September 9, 2009
  5. ^ By Drew Brown, Army to phase in tan-colored Stryker vehicles[permanent dead link‍], Stars and Stripes, October 26, 2009
  6. ^ Pfc. Andrya Hill, Spartans Take Command in Eastern Afghanistan, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Public Affairs, March 19, 2009
  7. ^ John Ramsey, 4th Brigade Combat Team deploys to Afghanistan, The Fayetteville Observer, August 22, 2009
  8. ^ Staff Sgt. Luis Agostini, RCT-7 Takes Over Counterinsurgency Operations in Afghanistan, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs, October 24, 2009
  9. ^ Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion continues the fight[permanent dead link‍], Task Force Leatherneck Public Affairs Office, October 27, 2009
  10. ^ American Forces Press Service 82nd Airborne assumes command in eastern Afghanistan, June 3, 2009
  11. ^ Sgt. Jennifer Premer, 45th Sustainment Brigade assumes Joint Logistics Command mission in Afghanistan, 45th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs Office, February 10, 2009
  12. ^ 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Arrive in Southern Afghanistan, ISAF Public Affairs Office, May 16, 2009
  13. ^ Illinois Guard brigade takes over Task Force Phoenix mission Archived 2011-06-03 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ DoD Announces Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation
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