Stryker soldiers say commanders failed them

Residents of Rajan Kala meet with Capt. Max Hanlin, commander of C Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, at its new patrol base near the village, as he hands out Meals, Ready to Eat in November. Hanlin replaced Capt. Joel Kassulke, and the decision was met with disapproval from some 1/17 soldiers.


Stryker soldiers say commanders failed them
By Sean D. Naylor - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Dec 21, 2009 15:07:53 EST

ARGHANDAB RIVER VALLEY, Afghanistan — The view west from the roof of the Arghandab district center at sunset in mid-autumn is breathtaking, the remaining leaves turning the valley into a sea of green and gold.

But the beauty deceives.

Beneath the branches, the Arghandab’s signature pomegranates lie in rotting piles and the orchards are strewn with booby traps ready to sever a limb or take a life. Gunfire and explosions echo from end to end of the valley’s lush “green zone.” Once known as the breadbasket of Afghanistan, the Arghandab has become a killing field.

Battle has been joined in the valley because of its proximity to Kandahar city, a rich prize two miles to the east across a razor-backed ridgeline. Until this summer, insurgent control of the valley was unchallenged. Then 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, moved in, and the fight was on.

The vicious struggle in and around the Arghandab since the battalion’s arrival has killed 21 1/17 soldiers and more than 50 insurgents, led to a popular company commander’s controversial replacement and raised questions about the best role for Stryker units in Afghanistan.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/army_afghanistan_mixed_signals_122109w/