Military Aviation Art
Task Force Mountain Warrior was formed in
May 2009 from a core of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
- the only light infantry brigade assigned to the 4th Infantry Division
and Fort Carson and served in Northeast Afghanistan with twelve
battalions, four Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and 3 Agribusiness
Development Teams (ADTs) until June 2010. For twelve months, the
phenomenal troopers of Mountain Warrior battled Al Qaeda, Taliban, local
insurgents and corrupt local governance in the most dangerous, austere and
mountainous region of Afghanistan called N2KL (Nuristan, Nangahar, Kunar,
and Laghman Provinces) and the volatile Zhari District in Kandahar
Province. Training at the “Mountain Post” proved a distinct advantage
as the Mountain Warriors were able to train at altitudes between 6,000
and14,000 feet in preparation for their counterinsurgency fight in the
mountains of Afghanistan. With a history of deployments to the urban and
desert environments of Iraq, the Mountain Warriors were able to use the
unique environment in Colorado to arrive in Afghanistan physically fit,
experts at their basic combat tasks and trained on specific mountain
warfare tasks required for successful counterinsurgency operations in
difficult mountainous terrain. The disciplined troopers of Mountain
Warrior consistently proved they could “move further and fight harder”
than the insurgents they faced. They proved that the precise application
of combat power, an understanding of the indigenous culture, a genuine
relationship with the local population and a common sense approach to
building local governance were critical to mission success. The Mountain
Warrior Troopers were feared by their enemies, respected by local Afghans
and admired by senior U.S. government leaders for their heroism,
individual bravery and outstanding junior leadership. Their tactics and
techniques for conducting counterinsurgency operations would become the
standard across theatre.
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