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 Mississippi Guardsmen conduct final escort missions By Sgt. Chad D. Nelson
                U.S. Division-North
 NORTHERN IRAQ - Soldiers of Mississippi National Guard's 1st Squadron, 98th Cavalry Regiment conducted their final escort missions across northern Iraq safeguarding vital supplies for service members and civilians Feb. 20. The Tennessee National Guard's 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is scheduled to take over operations sometime next week. Serving under the 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, this cavalry regiment was a key element to the operations and survival of U.S. Division-North. "We're the ones, who supply all the classes of supply for the battle space owners," said Lt. Col. John Nipp, squadron commander of the 1/98th. "Without sustainment, we couldn't be over here." Escort missions were a change of pace when the regiment first arrived in 2009, but they quickly adapted. "Our mission as a traditional cav squadron is to be the eyes and ears of the brigade. We go out forward of the brigade and do the reconnaissance ... and report back to the brigade," said Nipp. "There are some things that carry over as scouts because we're providing security out on the road, but we're also pushing forward so we can identify any IEDs [improvised explosive device] or any ambush sites or anything out on the road prior to the convoy coming through. "Those skills as scouts have allowed us to transition into this a little better." "It gives you a better perspective of the job, because you see it from a different side," said Staff Sgt. Eddie Taylor, truck commander for the 1/98th. After a year of experience, the Mississippi Soldiers are adept at successfully accomplishing these new types of missions. The regiment has rolled out on more than 590 missions logging more than 888,000 miles, said 1st Lt. Roger Pate, the unit's future operations officer. All of this was accomplished by 12 teams with 24 Soldiers on each team. The Soldiers protected countless numbers of supplies being delivered to bases across northern Iraq. Everything from water and food to construction equipment and office supplies delivered to Forward Operating Bases Marez, Warhorse, Warrior and Joint Base Balad. "I wouldn't go without them," said Garry Swisher, bobtail driver and assistant convoy commander for Kellogg, Brown and Root. "They're our only security, our saving grace." After all those miles, the missions are anything but routine. Driving for hours at a time, often in the dead of night, exposes the convoy to any number of attacks from the enemy. But these guardsmen, operating with vigilance and top-notch equipment, were undaunted. "We're in some of the best vehicles the military has to offer," said Spc. William Turner, a gunner with the regiment, who survived an IED explosion during a mission. It punched holes in the armor of his vehicle, but the explosion wasn't powerful enough to completely penetrate, he said. To date, the regiment has experienced 33 small arms attacks, 15 IEDs, two rocket propelled grenade attacks, 14 escalation of force attacks and found six IEDs, some simply by the slight glint of copper wire caught in the headlights of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. Now everyone is ready for their last mission in Iraq - one more convoy - from their headquarters in the shadow of a bombed-out soccer stadium to COB Speicher's airport with a new destination: home.
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