Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop’s role as the cornerstone from which Task Force Freedom, Multi National Forces Northwest, was built grown has brought an interesting perspective to the Hellhorse Trooper’s. Most of our Troopers are working in positions at least one or two levels above their experience as the Regimental Headquarters serves as essentially a Division Headquarters for 15,000 US Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines, Coalition Forces and 30,000 Iraqi Security Forces. Our current home is Forward Operating Base Courage in the city of Mosul, home to over 2 million people from all ethnicities and currently a hotly contested battlefield in out war against terror. You will be proud to hear that the Hellhorse Troopers have stepped up and accepted the challenge in true Blackhorse fashion.
One of the more interesting missions Hellhorse Troopers have been asked to execute over the last few months has been the formation of five Personal Security Detachments (PSDs) tasked with securing the safety of key Task Force Freedom leaders (e.g, the Commanding General, Deputy Commander, etc...). In essence these PSD are combat platoons with the mission of securing VIPs during convoys and while conducting battlefield circulation. One of our PSDs has even been equipped with the new Stryker Combat Vehicles and serves as the Deputy Commander’s Forward Combat Command Post. They played a key role in OPERATION RESTORE RIGHTS, a recent major combat operation in the city of Tal Afar and western Nineveh Province that liberated the Iraqi citizens from the oppression of an Anti-Iraqi Force insurgent safe haven. It can truly be said the in today’s fight, RHHT boast potential combat power that rivals you average motorized infantry company.
In current events, RHHT continues the fight to bring democracy and representative government to Northern Iraq. For the Last 30 day the focus of RHHT and Task Force Freedom has been the Constitutional Referendum Election scheduled for 15 October 2005. By the time you read this the election will be over and I am sure it will have been a success due, in small measure, to the efforts of Hellhorse soldiers.
We were also fortunate to have recently received a visit by two distinguished members of the 11th Armored Cavalry Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia (11th ACVVC), Mr Eric Newton and Mr Gerald Williamson from 08-11 OCT 05. We received them here in Mosul after they spent the better part of three weeks visiting with 1/11 ACR and 2/11 ACR to our South. After several days of shadowing Command Sergeant Major Pring around the Mosul battlefield, interviewing Helhorse Troopers, swapping stories about their combat experiences and sampling the mess hall chow of FOB Courage, the Regiment presented each Veteran the 11th ACR’s Gold Combat Spur (2nd Award). The Troop thanks both gentlemen for stopping in and looks forward to seeing them again upon our return to Fort Irwin. ALLONS.
HELLHORSE 6