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HHT "Head Hunters"
D Troop "Dawgs"
E Troop "Eagles"
F Troop "Foxes"
G Troop "Ghosts"
H Troop "Hawk"
2nd Howitzer Battery "Bulldog"
84th Engineer Company
Team Animal
PSYOPS Team
Rose Barracks, Vilseck, Germany
Fort Polk, LA
Fort Lewis, WA
2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light)
2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
"Cougars"
The mission of the 2nd Squadron, 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment is to deploy rapidly to a designated contingency area and conducts operations to support regimental operations. On order, the Squadron would then redeploy and train for future operations. Prior to its reorganization as a Stryker Brigade Combat Team, the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's mission was to, on order, rapidly deploy and conduct reconnaissance and security operations anywhere in the world, prepared to fight upon arrival and Win.
The Cougar Squadron was reorganized with the transformation of the Regiment as a whole to the US Army's new modular force structure. As a result, the squadron was reduced to 3 cavalry troops, with its howitzer battalion being reassigned to a new regiment level FIRES Squadron. Prior to the restructuring, the unit was a diverse and varied organization. It consisted of 3 Ground Cavalry Troops, one Anti-Tank Company, one Howitzer Battery, a Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, and the 84th Combat Engineer Company. Its soldiers varied in role from scout to cannoneer to mechanic to sapper. As missions dictated, the Squadron could be augmented with aviators, chemical specialists, and tanks. They were different, but essential, pieces to the Cougar Squadron. Without any one of their specialties, the Squadron would fail in the mission. With all of them operating together smoothly, the Squadron is equipped to accomplish any task set before them.
Similarly, the United States Army relied upon personnel from a wide variety of backgrounds to fully meet the needs of any mission it may face. Included in this variety were the citizen-soldiers who make up our US Army Reserves and National Guard units. With their varying and diverse civilian employments and backgrounds, along with their military training, these soldiers brought an invaluable depth of experience and knowledge to the fight. They trained one weekend a month and 2 weeks each year to sustain their war fighting skills, and understand that at any point they may be called to active duty to serve their nation abroad or at home.
The Cougar Squadron was fortunate to have been augmented with several of these specialized teams throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom. They quickly and easily assimilated themselves into the Cougar family, and were key players in the Squadron's successes through a variety of missions in a noncontiguous battlefield. America relies heavily on its citizen-soldiers to round out its military, and the Squadron relied just as heavily on citizen-soldiers to complete their missions.
Team Animal spearheaded the Civil Affairs efforts of the Squadron. In the civilian world, the members of Animal worked in various law enforcement roles in the New England area. In Baghdad, however, they assessed areas of specific humanitarian need and then work closely with governmental and non-governmental organizations to bring in the necessary assistance. Constantly outside the wire, these civil affairs specialists were responsible for many high-visibility projects in the Squadron's zone, and countless smaller works. From the soccer complex between Camp Marlboro and Sadr City to the new Municipal Buildings for Neighborhood/District Advisory Councils, the results of Team Animal's tireless efforts and dedication were visible everywhere.
From Washington State, the Squadron's Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) teams had become the voice of the Squadron in Sadr City and the conduit of Coalition policies to the Iraqi people. These 2 3-man teams were essential assets as the Squadron fights to win the Information Operations campaign. Responsible for loudspeaker broadcasts, the distribution of printed material, and direct interaction with local citizens, they were also able to gather critical information about the moods and perceptions of the Iraqi people. It was a tremendous responsibility that they have carried well, and their efforts paid enormous dividends.
In light of events at the Imam Ali mosque in An Najaf, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment decided in October 2003 to establish Joint Coalition-IPF checkpoints along major roads around Sadr City in order to protect the citizens of Sadr City, especially during the hours leading up to prayer time. These checkpoints were highly successful in providing deterrence to any terrorist or former regime loyalists who wish to threaten the citizens of Sadr City. Each checkpoint was collaboration between the coalition forces and our friends, the Iraqi police. The Iraqi police force conducted the inspections of incoming vehicles, while the coalition forces provided the security for the checkpoint, and interfaced with the local citizens. The participation by uniformed, armed Iraqi police force officers was a clear indication of the level of cooperation between the coalition and the Iraqi people. The checkpoints were received with many thanks from the citizens immediately surrounding the area, as well as those that passed through the checkpoint. The children were always interested in the large tanks and in talking to the soldiers and IPF at the checkpoints.
In November 2003, the Squadron was busy with Operation Iron Hammer, conducting significant raids and other offensive operations against the former regime over 2 weeks. Some of these operations were successful, capturing arms and munitions, although some turned up nothing. Every move made helped in eliminating the threat there. The Squadron continued to secure the District Advisory Council building in the center of town, as well as conduct security patrols. The troops reacted to numerous improvised explosive devices and with their training managed to ensure they got either Iraqi EOD or US Army EOD on site to defuse the devices. All the TCB's were working with Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers that had been trained by the Squadron. They worked great for crowd control and in helping during operations that dealt with the Iraqi population for a significant period of time. During these operations the Squadon also began to work on improving the armor on the unit's HMMWVs and implement the upgrade.
The soldiers of 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Camp Marlboro never passed up a chance to make life just a little bit easier for some of the less fortunate Iraqi children. These soldiers visited Al-Rhama's House for Orphans were they have made lots of little friends. The orphanage is a privately run organization, which takes care of approximately 53 girls and boys ranging from the ages of 5-19 years old. The supplies given to the children at the orphanage ranged from school supplies to new shoes and toys. The soldiers delivering the packages to the children were by no means strangers at the orphanage. Almost a month earlier on Christmas Day, Chaplain Stuart coordinated a toy drop at the orphanage where most of the kids were surprised to meet the soldiers. This time around the kids were "extremely excited to see us again"
Following its redeployment from Iraq, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment began transformation to the a Stryker Brigade Combat Team, being reactivated in 2006 as the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. As part of this reorgnaization, the 3 maneuver squadrons were reduced to 3 troops, with the howitzer battery being reassigned to a new FIRES Squadron at Regiment level. Keeping with the tradition of troops following in alphabetical order through the Regiment's squadrons, 2nd Squadron's troops subsequently became D-F, with G and H troops being inactivated and reactivated as part of the 3rd Squadron.